Strawberry Moon
by Storywriter55
Summary: Sara grows suspicious of new acquaintances while on hers and Neal's second honeymoon while back home, the Caffrey children face unexpected danger. (Part of the Milestones series) 10.3 years
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

All of Sara's senses were on high alert. She cringed at the creaking sound of the screen door and held it back to keep it from slamming shut as she stepped out onto the front porch of their pastel green bungalow. Once outside, her nostrils were assaulted by the sweet scent of lilac bushes on their last legs and the cloying fragrance of the climbing honeysuckle planted strategically between the cottages to provide a modicum of privacy.

The moon was out, almost full tonight but it floated in and out behind the heavy cloud cover making it unreliable as a light source. Instead, she used the tip of her bare toe to guide her, tiptoeing down the front steps of their chalet as she tried to avoid the tiny pebbles under her bare feet. She made a hard left towards the neighbouring cottage and winced when a dried up branch from the lilac bush snapped back and hit her on the cheek. The sensation took her by surprise and she let out a gasp, instinctively covering her mouth in an effort to remain quiet. Except for her laboured breathing, all she could hear was the repetitive sound of crickets echoing around her and the occasional muffled chirp of bullfrogs coming from the pond nearby.

The scream which had awaked her had reverberated for what seemed like minutes but had now faded away to nothing. She was surprised the guests in surrounding cottages weren't out checking things out. Was it possible she'd dreamt it? She took another tentative step, gingerly bridging the gap between the two cottages and zeroing in on the darkened bedroom window next door. Soft light poured from the lantern at the end of their walkway, the pale glow reflecting off the chrome on the grill of their car and providing just enough light to guide her on her mission.

This was crazy: creeping around in the dark of night, spying on their neighbours. She could get arrested for this… and yet, what she'd learned over the past few days had been enough to heighten her suspicions that the cry might be the sign of a potentially dangerous situation. She continued her short trek, quieting her breathing as she arrived underneath the bedroom window. She ran her hand along the bottom ledge of the window frame trying to hoist herself high enough to peek inside. Nothing doing, she couldn't see a thing from that angle so she busied herself feeling around on the ground for something sturdy to climb onto. The large rock she found was about a foot to the left of the window but nonetheless, she climbed on, leaning as far as she could to her right and feeling her neck straining with effort.

The checkered pale yellow curtains billowed in the soft summer breeze affording her a partial view of what was behind them; definitely the bedroom. She noticed a faint light coming from an adjacent room inside the small cottage - perhaps the bathroom? She leaned in, holding her breath. That was definitely the sound of muffled sobs followed by intermittent periods of silence. She hung on to the window ledge with the tips of her fingers and felt one of her manicured nails snap off. She bit her tongue to keep from cursing; dammit, she'd just had that manicure done the day before. There was the soft rustle of dry leaves and Sara glanced over her left shoulder, hoping it was nothing more than some benign creature out for a nocturnal stroll - a racoon perhaps. But the quiet rustling grew louder, resembling human footsteps and her whole body froze in anticipation of an imminent attack. She let out a shaky breath just as a hand covered her mouth and she gasped, tumbling off the rock she'd perched herself on and into strong waiting arms.

'Shhh!' came the whisper of a voice in her ear. 'Be quiet.'

WCWCWC

_Nine days earlier_

Sunday was family day in the burbs. The constant hum of lawnmowers from sunrise to sunset, the amazing aroma of barbecued ribs wafting through the air, the laughter of children riding their bikes up and down the quiet streets and their constant shouts and giggles as they played a friendly neighbourhood game of hide and seek.

Before settling down in Westchester County, Neal and Sara would have spent their Sundays a lot differently. Perhaps a visit to some art galleries in the Chelsea District before enjoying a glass of full-bodied red with lunch on the terrace of one of the trendy cafés. After lunch, a leisurely stroll through Central Park, entering at Mid-park and coming out the North-end before heading back to Neal's to enjoy one of his gourmet meals. Finally, they would slip in between the six hundred count sheets on Neal's tiger oak bed and enjoy their own grown-up (and unhurried) version of hide and seek.

Not anymore.

These days, Sundays were about playdates for the kids, perhaps having the Burkes or the Masons over for a backyard barbecue, making sure the last load of laundry got folded before bedtime, checking on the kids' homework before tucking them in for the night and falling into bed exhausted so they could be up early to make lunches before starting their busy week.

Yet, despite the pleasant distant memories of their childless years, neither Neal Caffrey nor Sara Ellis seemed to mind the craziness all that much. Their new life brought with it a semblance of order, a sense of purpose and predictability which, now that they were firmly ensconced in their forties, wasn't such a bad thing. Not a bad thing at all.

And so it was on this warm sunny Sunday in early June.

'I thought you guys were talking about a trip to Europe' Elizabeth said from the couch in the Caffrey family room.

Sara handed her a drink and settled in beside her. 'We were. But… the kids are still too young for us to be gone that long. And besides, trust me, you guys will be more than happy to hand them back over after a few days.'

El smiled wistfully. The truth was she loved spending time with the Caffrey kids. Hope and Peter had always gotten on like a house on fire and young Liam, well he was just about the sweetest little boy she'd ever laid eyes on. How much trouble could they possibly be? Besides, school wasn't out for summer vacation yet so both she and Peter would be free to tend to their daily occupations while the kids were at school. Moreover, staying at the Caffrey house in White Plains had been a no-brainer. Sure, it meant a longer commute to work for both her and Peter but it was worth it so the kids could sleep in their own beds and be near their school and their friends.

'So… you remember that Hope has soccer practice on Saturday mornings and rehearsals for the end of the year play on Monday and Wednesday?'

'Got it' Elizabeth said, glancing at the colour-coded chart Sara had handed her. It had the address and phone number of the kids' friends, contact information for the neighbours, the plumber, the electrician and their home association in case of an emergency. There was an individual chart with each of the kids' school schedules and extra-curricular activities as well as their fussy little habits, favourite foods and sleep routines. Oh, and the house rules of course which consisted of Hope and Liam's chores and curfews among other things — things like no eating up in their bedrooms and no more than one hour of mindless television per day.

'Liam doesn't like yogurt?' El said, pointing to the chart. 'How come I didn't know that, he always eats it when he's over at our place.'

Sara giggled. 'He's probably too polite to say anything. You'll get to know all their little quirks by the time we get back.'

She pointed to an asterisk at the bottom of the page. 'Mozzie pops in most weekends and takes Liam out for the day but we never know when he's going to show up. Oh, but don't let Moz show him any more of his little stunts. You know I caught him teaching Liam how to pick a lock a while back. Little bugger's pretty good at it too.'

Elizabeth chuckled.

'And with Satchmo staying here' Sara added. 'Hope will probably never want to leave the house.'

'What's this note about her bedtime?'

'Oh… that's a special privilege she gets. Liam won't go to bed unless she's upstairs with him so they both go up at 7:30. I usually sit with Hope and read while Neal reads Liam a bedtime story and tucks him in. He falls asleep almost right away so Hope gets to come down and have an extra hour of what we call 'big girl time.'

Elizabeth nodded; seems there were still plenty of things she didn't know about their best friends' family life.

'Let's call this a practice run' she said. 'And maybe next year, you two can take a longer vacation and go to Paris.'

Sara shrugged. 'We always said we wanted to go back to where we spent our honeymoon and you know how sentimental Neal is. He's trying to get us the exact same cottage we had last time.'

Elizabeth took another sip of iced tea as she thought of her own husband's shortcomings in the romance department.

'The last time Peter and I went away together was that weekend in Cooperstown. Peter promised boutiquing and a nice dinner out but he ended up spending most of the day at the baseball hall of fame.'

Sara nodded in empathy. Peter Burke was not, nor had he ever been, the poster child for romance although some improvements had become apparent over time, a result of hanging out with the likes of Neal Caffrey.

'Mom!' came Hope's voice from the nearby kitchen. 'Can I got over to Olivia's house?'

Sara glanced at her watch. 'All right. But be back by six. Daddy's making spaghetti for dinner.'

'Yay!' came the ten-year-old's voice as she skipped all the way to the front door.

Neal's voice could be heard, coming down the staircase at the front of the house. 'Where are _you_ off to, young lady?'

Hope was already halfway out the door. 'Mom said I could go over to Olivia's' she shouted over her shoulder.

'Well, don't be late for dinner, I'm making —'

'Spaghetti' she yelled back, already down the driveway. 'I know!'

Neal chuckled and made his way to join the women in the family room. 'She cracks me up…' he mumbled under his breath.

'Oh, and that's the other thing you need to be careful about. They're both really good at playing one of us against the other so don't fall for it. You know the old _'Dad said I could do it'_ trick…' Sara said.

Neal entered the room and pointed to Sara with a nod. 'Yeah, it took us forever to figure that one out so don't fall for it.'

He let himself fall next to his wife on the couch, jiggling his cell phone in front of her face the way he did when he was particularly pleased with himself.

'Well, I just got our confirmation' he said with an eyebrow wag. 'We got _Endless Summer_… check-in is noon on Friday.'

'What's so special about that particular cottage?' El asked.

'Nothing' Sara said with an eye roll. 'They're pretty well all the same.'

'That's not true!' Neal said, indignant. 'We carved our initials in the tree trunk right by the front door.'

Sara smiled as she recalled how they'd snuck out after dark to desecrate the lilac bush, promising they'd visit again for their tenth wedding anniversary.

There was a kerfuffle at the patio door and Peter entered carrying a baseball bat and a couple of mitts with Liam lagging behind, his fair hair plastered to his forehead. He looked like he'd had quite a workout.

'I'm thirsty' the child said breathlessly.

Peter and Neal exchanged looks.

'Welcome to parenthood buddy!' Neal said.

WCWCWC

'So, what's the plan then?' Neal asked once he and Peter were finally alone.

They were sitting on the backyard deck, sipping beer while inside, the sound of voices and dishes clanging could be heard coming from the kitchen. Hope appeared at the screen door, her thick wavy hair hanging in her face.

'Daddy?' she said as the two men looked up. 'Mom wants to know where you put the recipe for the Caesar salad dressing.'

Neal frowned. Recipe? Who needed a recipe? The damn thing had all of five ingredients and he'd been making it in front of his wife the exact same way for the past ten years. If that wasn't Sara code for _'could you please get your sorry ass in here and make the damn dressing'_, he didn't know what was.

'Tell Mom I'll come in and make it in a minute' he said dismissively. Hope had just turned away to report to her mom when Neal called her back outside. Peter watched as she followed his instructions, standing between his open legs as he removed a scrunchy from her wrist and expertly pulled up her unruly dark hair away from her face, tying it back in a thick ponytail. He gave her tush a playful tap and sent her on her way.

'Now you can see where you're going' he commented. 'So, did you get the search warrant?' he asked, resuming his previous conversation with Peter.

Peter shook his head in amusement and took a sip of his beer.

'What?' Neal asked, mystified.

'Nothing…' Peter replied with a twinkle in his eye. It never ceased to amaze him how seamlessly Neal navigated the different roles in his life. 'Reese thinks we'll have it by the end of the week at the very latest.'

'Dammit! I really wanted to see Cornyn's face when you walked in and waved that thing in front of his ugly mug.'

Neal had taken a couple of weeks off from his job at Finch and Johns in order to help Peter and his team run a sting on Dwight Cornyn, a notoriously slippery racketeer who'd recently taken up residence in Jersey City. After auditioning successfully as front man for the thug's gambling operation, Neal had begun to gain the man's trust. He'd spent the last week as a plant at the crook's poker table, putting his skills to work swindling unsuspecting marks out of their hard earned money.

Even a fine upstanding citizen like Neal Caffrey had to keep his sleight of hand skills sharp and this was a risk-free way to do so while helping shut down yet another illegal gambling operation. Between rounds of cards, Neal had poked around the place, looking for dirt on the guy. A second set of books would be enough to arrest the guy on racketeering charges. Neal had finally dug up enough incriminating evidence to justify a search warrant; all that was left was to wait for the paperwork to come through and pay the guy a surprise visit.

Mission accomplished once again.

But with his and Sara's little getaway planned for the coming Friday, he'd likely miss out on the takedown - and everybody knew that was the best part of any operation. He'd even polished his sheriff's badge for the occasion.

'There's still a chance we'll get it before you leave… if not, I'll take lots of pictures' Peter said with a grin. He grew serious for an instant. 'Thanks for helping us out on this case, we couldn't have done it without you.'

Neal shrugged with his usual nonchalance. He enjoyed helping the Bureau with the odd case even though his job authenticating art with the large insurance company kept him pretty busy. Thankfully, his schedule not only left him time to help Peter out on occasion, it also allowed him the freedom to work on his ever growing portfolio. He was hoping to have enough original pieces for a gallery showing by the end of the year.

The patio screen door opened again and this time, Liam slipped out, making his way to his dad and silently climbing onto his lap. Neal rubbed his son's back and ran his hand through his sandy coloured hair.

Liam sighed.

'Are you going to be uncle Peter's helper while Mommy and I are gone?' The boy nodded but buried his face in his dad's shirt.

'What's the matter?'

'Nothing. Tired.' he replied, as he snuck his arms around Neal's neck and squeezed.

'Tired?' Neal repeated. 'You're five years old, how can you be tired?'

'Because he spent an hour and a half running after my amazing ground balls that's why' Peter said as Liam looked up and nodded.

'Where are you going to sleep?' the little boy asked out of the blue.

'Uncle Peter and aunt Elizabeth are going to sleep in _our_ bed' Neal explained.

'Do you sleep with the door open or closed?' the curious child asked, turning to face his uncle.

Peter seemed surprised by the question. 'I don't know…'

'Because when Mommy and Daddy close their door, Hope and I aren't allowed to go in or even knock on the door because it's their _special _time.'

Neal thought he detected Mozzie's sarcastic tone; all that was missing were the air quotes. His cheeks flushed as Peter chuckled.

'Daddy, why do you and Mommy need special time anyway?' Liam asked as if he'd been wanting to ask that question for a very long time.

Peter sat back and placed his ankle over his knee. He was going to enjoy watching Neal squirm out of this one. He was surprised when Neal replied without much hesitation.

'Because we're always busy taking care of the two of you' he said, playfully tapping the tip of his son's nose. 'We never get to be just the two of us… you know… so we can talk' he added with a sideways glance in Peter's direction.

Once a conman, always a conman it seemed. But Liam was not that easily deceived. It took a few seconds but from the look on the child's face, it became obvious the inquisition was far from over.

'Jamie says his parents have sex when they close their bedroom door' Liam announced with the innocence of a young child.

Neal nodded but remained quiet. Perhaps he could still get away with it if he just kept his big mouth shut.

'Daddy…' came Liam's voice, grabbing his dad's cheeks and forcing him to look into his eyes. 'What's sex?'

Peter coughed and regurgitated his last sip of beer and Neal took advantage of the distraction to glance his way.

'You okay there Peter?' he asked.

Liam, meanwhile, was still staring intently at his dad. For a moment, Neal toyed with the idea of throwing the hot potato in Peter's direction. It was so, so tempting. He was about to suggest Liam ask his uncle for an explanation when Sara appeared at the patio door, hand on her hip.

'You guys hungry?' she asked.

His wife had always had impeccable timing. Neal got to his feet and threw Liam up in the air while the little boy laughed heartily.

'We're starved, aren't we buddy?'

WCWCWC

Sara was sitting up in bed with her laptop by the time Neal made it back from tucking Hope in.

'Jeez' he said with a loud sigh. 'Did you know that chapter six of _Little Women_ has thirty-seven pages?'

She chuckled. 'Well you got sucked in. I already read chapter five to her while you were tucking Liam in. Besides, she doesn't need us to read to her. She can read to us.'

He frowned but shook it off immediately; the truth was, he enjoyed reading to the kids.

'I guess that explains why she prefers it when_ I'm_ the one tucking her in' he boasted as Sara returned to her work e-mails.

He was disappointed when she didn't take the bait. He was in the mood for a little good natured ribbing. Instead, Sara let out a frustrated sigh.

'Seriously…' she said, her tone clipped. 'Does he think I have nothing better to do than read his damn e-mails on a Sunday night?'

'Your boss?' Neal said, venturing a guess as he began to peel off his clothes.

'He's asking me to come in early to meet with him and Mr. Bishop.'

'Who's Bishop?'

She slammed the laptop noisily and pushed it off the bed. 'Some big shot client of ours. You know what?' she added, suddenly defiant. 'I have a good mind to tell him I didn't get his message.'

Neal pulled on a pair of sleep pants and raised his eyebrows in disbelief. As if! His wife was unable to turn her back on her job, no matter what. And they both knew it.

She was still stewing, mentally arguing with herself. 'Fine! I'll go but I'm going to tell him not to expect me to read my e-mails on Sunday nights from now on.'

Neal bounced onto the bed on his stomach, practically landing in her lap with a grin on his face. 'Ooooh, I wanna be there when you do that! Will you threaten to quit too?' he teased.

She placed her hand on the top of his head and pushed him away.

'Stop!' she shouted, not appreciating his attempt at humour. 'You're supposed to be on my side.'

Neal settled onto his back and slipped in under the blankets. 'I _am_ on your side… I just happen to know that you're a workaholic and you thrive on the fact that you're Bosch's favourite investigator.'

She shook her head in denial. Subject closed.

'You want to hear a good one?' Neal said, turning to look at her. 'Liam hit me with the sex question earlier.'

Sara sat up straighter, suddenly curious. 'Really?'

'Yup, came right out with it, used the word _sex_ and everything.'

'What did you tell him?' Sara said with a giggle.

'Nothing. You called us in for dinner.'

'Lucky escape! Look, you handled it when Hope asked, you're practically a pro.'

'No-o-o' he replied with a steady gaze. 'Hope was different, she wanted to know how babies were made.'

'That's even worse, isn't it? All that technical mumbo-jumbo' Sara said, recalling how they'd ended up getting Hope a book on the birds and the bees. 'You can just tell him sex is… kissing.'

'Right! Because that'll work out well when he kisses a girl in his kindergarten class and tells everyone he had sex with her.'

'Or a boy…' Sara replied as he nodded. 'Just… keep it simple Neal. Remember the golden rule, only answer direct questions. Don't go giving explanations he's not asking for.'

'Honey, sex is pretty direct and all encompassing, don't you think?' he said as he turned off the bedside lamp. 'Remember Hope? Olivia had convinced her that daddies peed inside mommies to make babies.'

He shook his head, recalling the tricky conversation. 'That was a fun one to untangle' he moaned. 'I almost sicked Liam on Peter. With any luck, he'll ask him or El while we're away.'

'You're evil, Caffrey! Can you imagine? Peter would just die.'

She curled up against her husband, squeezing him. 'It's going to be weird going away without the kids.'

He ran his hand down her back then repeated the movement a few more times.

'Don't you start! I don't remember the last time we went anywhere without them. It's going to be good for us. We can stay up late… or sleep in' he said with a suggestive eyebrow wag. 'Fresh air… we can go biking, canoeing in that little cove and the food… it's going to be amazing.'

He felt her smile widen against his bare chest. 'Mmmm' she hummed. 'Can we go to that lobster place on the main drag?'

'Of course we can… anything you want babe.'

'Mmmm' she repeated. 'I like the sound of that.'

She looked up, pressing her lips against his. Used to be that was more than enough of an opening for Neal to make a move. Tonight however, he just let her slip away, placing a chaste kiss on her forehead instead.

'Night Repo' he murmured as he felt his eyes close.

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

As it turned out, the search warrant for Cornyn's place was delivered to Special Agent Peter Burke's office at three o'clock on Wednesday afternoon. Neal had been down in his studio when the call came but he was more than happy to drop everything to join his ex-handler down in Jersey City. He messaged Sara letting her know he was headed out and asked her to pick up the kids on the way home. He'd learned it was easier to text than to call in such circumstances, leaving Sara no choice but to acquiesce whether she liked it or not. His phone rang immediately and Neal debated whether or not to pick up.

'Dammit!' he said under his breath.

'What?' he barked into the phone, knowing very well what the problem was.

'Neal, I've got a meeting in twenty minutes. I can't just walk out of here whenever I feel like it.'

He sighed but found the fortitude to refrain from reminding her that he'd done the pick up for the past three days.

'Fine' he muttered. 'I'll see if Donna can have them until you get home' he said, always in solution mode.

She tsked, not entirely sure she wanted to impose on their friend and neighbour at the last minute but he wasn't asking her opinion on the subject.

'Just… just go to your meeting, I'll take care of it' he grumbled as he pushed the end button on his phone with a little too much force.

As a matter of course, Neal and Sara rarely argued but if and when they did, it usually had to do with scheduling issues. As working parents, there was that constant push-pull when it came to balancing their personal and professional lives. He knew they were hardly alone in this. But luckily, Neal Caffrey lived by the credo that there was always another way.

Hope spent plenty of time at the Masons, about as much time as her best friend Olivia spent at their place. Donna and Jeff were easygoing about that kind of stuff and the Caffreys were grateful to have someone they could exchange babysitting favours with. For that reason, Neal was particularly irked when he found no one home at the Mason place. He debated his options and decided the kids might enjoy a little adventure of the FBI variety.

He packed up a bagful of books and toys and headed out to pick them up at school. Liam was excited to be going to his dad's work but as expected, Hope balked, saying she had better things to do than to accompany her father to a boring old takedown. And wasn't she old enough to go home alone she argued. Neal glared at her, communicating without a doubt that that wasn't going to happen.

'Uncle Peter will be there' he reminded her once they were all settled in the car. That seemed to mollify the ten-year old whose love affair with her godfather was as strong as ever.

'Will he have his gun?' she asked unexpectedly.

'What?' Neal said, surprised at her question. 'Honey, we're not going there to shoot anyone. Uncle Peter and Diana and Clinton are going to search this man's place.'

'Well, why do _you_ have to be there then?' she complained with a pout.

'Because I worked on the case and —' He stopped mid-sentence, his frustration mounting. 'I just do, that's all.'

Like a lot of pre-teens, Hope was ten going on sixteen. One minute she'd grab one of her favourite stuffed toys and curl up on her dad's lap for a hug and the next, she and Olivia would be sitting on her bed, surrounded by teen magazines, drooling over the latest heartthrob. Her mood was sullen at times, over the top excited at others and Neal had to weigh his words carefully whenever he approached her these days. Luckily, he'd been honing his craft with Sara for the past ten years and was becoming adept at knowing how to deal with the fair sex — when to press his point and when to keep his big mouth shut.

Predictably, the kids argued all the way to Jersey City and by the time they arrived, Neal was fuming and just about ready to abandon them by the side of the road and walk away. He parked a few houses down from Cornyn's brownstone in order to stay out of sight. The last thing he wanted was to tip off the guy that his place was about to be raided or to have one of Cornyn's accomplices recognize him while his two kids sat in the backseat of the car. Within minutes, three official looking cars pulled up ahead and Neal waited patiently for someone to approach him. Even though there was no immediate danger, this was still an FBI operation and he wasn't about to leave the kids alone no matter how annoyed he was with them.

Diana must have drawn the short straw because the next thing he knew, she was walking towards his car and leaning in his open window.

'Hey Caffrey! I heard you're carrying a couple of new recruits' she said, glancing into the back seat.

'Hi Hope, hey Liam' she called out before returning her gaze to Neal. 'Peter asked me to come and sit with the kids so you can go in with him.'

Neal's eyes brightened as if he'd just been offered his choice of paintings from the Guggenheim. 'Really?'

She gave a head nod in the direction of the crook's brownstone. 'Go on, you worked hard on this one, you deserve to see it through.'

He didn't need to be told twice. Neal sprung out of the car and in a surprise move, gave Diana a peck on the cheek. She laughed and took his place behind the wheel.

'Diana' came Liam's tiny voice. 'I need to go pee.'

WCWCWC

The takedown went as smoothly as could be expected though Cornyn had a couple of his henchmen by his side. They had their hands on their weapons, ready to resist when Clinton Jones and a couple of other agents barged in, guns drawn. That was all it took. Cornyn folded like a cheap suit, was promptly cuffed and led away for questioning while Peter and his team searched the place. Just as Neal had predicted, there was a second set of books in the man's safe outlining in detail the dirty money trail. The files were carted off for analysis while Cornyn cursed at Neal for his part in the deception.

'You son of a bitch!' he shouted as they dragged him away. 'I should have known you were too good to be true.'

Neal grinned, pleased with his successful role in the subterfuge. 'You shouldn't have been so sloppy Cornyn' he replied with satisfaction.

The man's lackeys stood around looking stunned as agents cuffed them and prepared to walk them out to the waiting vans. If the past was any indication, at least one of them would sing like a canary in exchange for a lighter sentence.

Peter's hand was on Neal's back. 'Another win for Burke and Caffrey' he said with a firm pat.

'Caffrey and Burke' Neal corrected as they stepped out onto the street.

Diana was busy playing 'I spy' with Liam by the time the duo returned to the car. Neal took Diana's place behind the wheel and Peter slipped in next to him. Hope had just opened her mouth to complain when they all caught sight of the group of agents parading out of the brownstone leading a cuffed Cornyn towards one of the Bureau's vehicles.

'Is that the bad guy?' Hope asked, her eyes wide.

Neal got a strange feeling in the pit of his stomach. She and Liam were so young to be exposed to the criminal element and for an instant, he had misgivings about having dragged the two of them on his mission.

'One of them' he replied, his voice subdued.

He watched Hope's reaction in the rear view mirror as the other two crooks were walked out.

'What did he do? Did he kill someone?'

Peter picked up on Neal's trepidation and stepped in to respond.

'No pumpkin. He was stealing money and your dad helped us catch him.'

'I'm hungry' Liam shouted out from the seat next to his sister.

'Just a quick detour to Uncle Peter's office and we'll be done' Neal said as he started the car and prepared to drive away.

Hope let out a loud sigh of resignation but returned to her tablet without a word.

'And then we can get you two something to eat' Peter said. 'You must be starved.'

Hope grumbled and Liam cheered and the world returned to spinning on its axis. This time with a little less innocence.

WCWCWC

Sara was on her second glass of wine when the phone rang.

'You okay if I take the kids out to eat before we come home. I kinda owe them.'

She sighed blissfully and put her feet up on the couch.

'Knock yourself out' she replied with a private smile. How often did she get to come home after a long day at the office and just kick back and relax?

'So what happened?'

'Donna wasn't home so I packed them into the car and headed out to Jersey City with the two of them.'

She tried to imagine Hope having to be dragged kicking and screaming when all she wanted to do after school was hang out with her bestie.

'How'd it go?'

'Hope's not very happy but it was well worth the trip to see the guy's face when we walked in with the search warrant. Best of all, I got to flash my sheriff's badge at him.'

Sara chuckled. 'Good for you Caffrey.'

'Apparently, I can still pass muster as a confidence man. He never saw it coming, had a few choice words for me on the way out though.'

Sara detected a note of pride in his voice - a successful undercover operation always had that effect on him. As a matter of fact, after wrapping up a case, Neal always felt particularly… frisky, all that testosterone building and ready to explode. Maybe she should pull out that frilly little silk nightgown he liked instead of her usual t-shirt and yoga pants.

'Look, we just wrapped things up here at the Bureau so we'll be a little while yet. Can I pick you up some food on the way back? Maybe some spring rolls?'

She picked up on his conciliatory tone. Whatever annoyance they'd both felt earlier seemed to have dissipated in a puff of smoke.

'Naw, I'll pick at something here' she said, humming as she sipped her wine. 'Just don't be too long. The kids have school tomorrow' she reminded him, ever the dutiful wife and mother.

'10-4' he replied before hanging up.

Peter glanced at his partner from the passenger seat. He felt his blood pumping, the predictable high that manifested itself every time he and Neal successfully closed a case. They finally had this guy on the ropes and the evidence they'd recovered looked to be more than enough to hold him until they could get him in front of a judge. It was always a hoot to work with Neal. As a matter of fact, Peter would have loved to have his ex-CI join the Bureau permanently as a consultant - he'd tried to talk him into it on several occasions. But he realized now that that had been selfish on his part. Neal had to forge his own path in life and working within the confines of the FBI wasn't a good fit for the ex-con. This was the best of both worlds, getting the chance to work with Neal from time to time while watching him live his life as a husband and father and thrive as an artist.

Hope's voice came from the back seat, interrupting his musings. 'Daddy, can we get pizza?'

'Yeah! Pizza!' echoed Liam. 'With pineapple!'

The two men shrugged. It could be worse; they could be asking to go to Chuck E. Cheese.

'You guys have been very patient' Neal said as he started up the car. 'Pizza it is!'

WCWCWC

'How are you feeling about me and Mom going away?' Neal asked his daughter as he tucked her in for the night. He was on a fishing expedition, trying to find out if something other than bubbling hormones was responsible for her earlier brooding. If there _was_ something on her mind, it was his job as a parent to find out.

She shrugged and kept her eyes on her book.

'Honey…' he prodded.

'What?'

'I'm sorry I had to drag you out with me all the way to Jersey City.'

She put down her book and slipped under the covers. Neal settled on the edge of the bed, pushing away her dark curls from her forehead. Suddenly, she looked so small, so vulnerable. He slid up to sit against the headboard and slipped his arm around her slender shoulder, pulling her in to him.

'You know you're so grown up now, sometimes I forget you're still a little girl' he said wistfully.

'I'm ten years old' she replied, annoyed.

'Right, right… I'm just saying you shouldn't be in any hurry to grow up.'

Silence followed as Hope pulled away and looked at her dad with her big blue inquisitive eyes. She seemed to be willing him to keep talking.

'How come you asked me if Uncle Peter had his gun?' he asked her.

'I dunno. He's a secret agent isn't he?'

Neal smiled, the tune from _Secret Agent Man _momentarily popping into his head. 'Not sure about the secret part but Uncle Peter has to protect himself in case some bad guys have guns, that's why police and FBI agents carry them.'

'You don't.'

'No, I don't. I don't need one for the work I do.'

'What if someone wants to shoot you?'

He frowned. He had no idea she even remotely thought about such things. Whenever he was working a case, he always made sure to discuss it privately with Sara so neither one of the kids could overhear something that might upset them. And besides, he'd given up on high risk cases since the kids had come along.

'Nobody's going to shoot me sweet pea' he replied, trying his best to sound reassuring.

'They could….'

He leaned in and kissed her forehead. 'I suppose… but I'm always really careful and if Uncle Peter thought I might be in any trouble, he and the people we work with would come right away to make sure nothing happened to me.'

There was silence as Hope ostensibly thought through what her dad had just said.

'I wasn't really mad today' she admitted, her voice shaky. 'I was… a little scared.'

Neal's heart skipped a beat as he pulled her into him. He felt her tremble in his arms as he held her. It had been poor judgement on his part to drag her and Liam to the takedown. They were both so impressionable and having them witness the seedy side of life did them no good. Quite the contrary, his job was to make sure they were protected from the criminal element.

His mind flashed back to the horrible few days Hope had suffered at the hands of Matthew Keller a few years back, how Keller had kidnapped her in order to torture him, to toy with his emotions. Afterwards, he and Sara had done everything they could to make her feel safe again, they'd even gotten her some professional help so she could better cope with the fallout. With time, they'd both come to believe Hope had turned the corner but perhaps they'd been mistaken. She hardly ever spoke of it anymore, no longer reacted with fear when she met new people - especially strange men. But there was still the odd situation when she would cling to her dad, perhaps afraid he might disappear. He exhaled, his breath shaky.

'Is that why you asked about the gun? Were you afraid someone might hurt me?'

She latched on to his shirt collar and held on tight as she let out an unexpected sob. 'I love you Daddy' she said.

He held her tenderly against him and was surprised to find his voice quivering when he spoke. 'And I love _you _sweet pea. So much… but you don't need to worry about me. I can take care of myself and Uncle Peter is always there when I need him.'

He felt her nodding against his neck and she finally pulled out of his arms. He watched her wipe her nose on her pyjama sleeve and then smile up at him, her eyes bright and innocent, trusting him completely.

Perhaps without weighing his words as carefully as he should, he spoke, eager to reassure her. 'Sweetie, nothing's going to happen to me, I promise.'

'Okay' she murmured, needing very much to believe him.

Even as he spoke, Neal wondered if that was a promise he could ever really keep. The risk of getting hurt on the kind of cases he worked these days was minimal, Peter made sure of that. But there was always the possibility that some messed up perp might react violently to a given situation and that he could get caught in the crossfire. He shook off the doubts.

'Now, get some sleep' he said, standing and bringing the blankets up to her chin.

'Can I have my elephant?' she asked, pointing to the shelf of stuffed toys.

Suddenly, she was three years old again, needing comfort in the darkness of her room. Neal felt a lump in his throat. He walked over to the shelf and grabbed the pink stuffed toy, the one she'd gotten from Peter before she was even a year old. He tucked it under her arm and patted it on the head before placing a kiss on her forehead.

Her eyes remained wide open and Neal felt a shiver down his spine.

'Would you like me to lie down with you for a little while?' he asked, sensing her uneasiness.

She nodded and pulled the blankets back so he could slide in beside her.

'Daddy, can you sing for me?'

'What would you like me to sing?'

'Maybe… I don't know. You decide' she said tucking herself into his side.

He hummed a few bars of _Hush little baby_ and felt her start to relax in his arms. On any other given night, she might have scoffed at his choice of lullabies, reminding him she wasn't a baby any more. But on this occasion, she lay peacefully, comforted by her dad's deep, familiar voice and the feel of his strong arms around her.

After a while, her breathing stilled but Neal continued to lie there, running his hand through her hair. Whereas a moment ago, she had wanted him to stay, he was now the one who didn't want to leave her side. She was his baby girl, always would be, no matter the passing years.

His job as a parent was to keep her safe, to support her through life's ups and downs, to give her the space she needed to make her own mistakes and learn from them, all the while watching over her and making sure she didn't get hurt.

Sara's soft voice drifted into the room as she stood framed in the doorway. 'Everything all right?'

He wiped his eyes and disentangled himself from his daughter's sleeping form, preparing to follow his wife out.

He took one last look at Hope, sound asleep and he exhaled, mourning her loss of innocence.

'Sweet dreams sweet pea' he whispered before tiptoeing out of the room.

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Friday morning was the long awaited changing of the guard. Neal and Sara had been packed and ready to go since the night before, their luggage awaiting their departure by the front door. Peter had brought his and El's stuff over the night before so he could go straight to work in the morning, leaving El and Satchmo to make the trek out to White Plains before the kids left for school.

Meanwhile, Sara was nagging the kids to hurry up and get ready so they could head out the moment Elizabeth arrived.

'Come on buddy, eat up' Neal said as he ran around the kitchen, tidying up.

'But I don't _like _this cereal' Liam whined as he threw his spoon on the table petulantly.

'You liked it fine yesterday' Neal reminded him.

'Honey, go brush your teeth' Sara said to Hope.

'Do I have to go to school today?' she complained. 'It's not fair! Auntie Elizabeth gets to stay home with Satchmo all day.'

Sara shot her a look of pure annoyance. 'NOW Hope!'

Hope stomped out of the room and the couple exchanged nervous glances. Were they ever going to make it out of there alive?

With his spoon discarded, Liam got to his feet and ran towards his mom. His tiny arms encircled her legs and he pushed his face into the fabric of her dress.

'I don't want you to go' he slobbered. 'I want _you_ to take me to Nathan's party.'

Sara crouched down to look into his eyes. 'Sweetie, Uncle Peter or Aunt Elizabeth will take you to the party. See?' she said, pointing to a wrapped gift sitting on the kitchen counter. 'All you have to do is remember to bring Nathan's present.'

He shook his head violently, his little face growing more distressed. 'What if I can't sleep?'

Neal looked over at his wife; things seemed to be escalating.

'Buddy, all you have to do is go into our room and wake up Uncle Peter or Aunt Elizabeth. They'll help you if you need anything.'

'What if the door is closed?' he asked frantically.

'Tell you what' Neal said reassuringly. 'Why don't I ask them to leave the door open? Would that help?'

Liam let go of Sara's leg and threw himself in his dad's arms.

'What if I pee the bed?'

Neal looked at his wife and rolled his eyes as he held his son in his arms. 'Bud, you haven't wet the bed since you were three years old.'

'But what if I do?'

Hope was suddenly back, carrying the tablet she shared with her brother. She stuffed it in her backpack as Sara stared her down.

'Hope! Since when do you bring your tablet to school? You know the rules. That thing stays here.'

Hope pulled it out of her bag and threw it on the kitchen table with a pout. 'You always treat me like a baby!' she shouted.

Hell had definitely broken loose. Their usually well behaved children had morphed into creatures from the black lagoon. One look at all the craziness and El would probably hightail it out of there in a cloud of dust.

To add to the chaos, the front door opened and Satchmo galloped in, knocking over the luggage that had been sitting by the front door.

'Satch!' Hope called out, arms open.

He trotted over and began licking her face as she giggled, her foul mood instantly disappearing.

'Sorry guys' Elizabeth called out from the front door. 'Traffic was terrible.'

Neal put Liam down and the child ran back to his mom, grabbing onto her leg with both arms, his face plastered against her, snot and all.

'Hi El!' Sara called out with a loud sigh. 'Welcome to Friday morning!'

WCWCWC

Sara felt Neal's hand on hers. They'd just hit the I95 and contrary to the last time they'd headed up to Maine, this time she wasn't in the dark about their destination. The sun was playing peek-a-boo with the clouds but it was nonetheless a warm early summer day, very similar in fact to the first time they'd visited the idyllic little cottages located just outside of Kennebunkport.

Ten years earlier, Peter had pushed to get Neal's anklet removed long enough for the newlyweds to enjoy a quick honeymoon getaway. His CI was serving the last few months of his sentence and had been on his best behaviour, a new father to boot and the DOJ had deemed him an extremely low flight risk, finally granting Peter's request. Sara had resigned herself to the fact they would be staying within her new husband's two mile radius - a staycation of sorts. But on their wedding night, as Neal stripped off his clothes, she'd discovered he was anklet-free and he'd grudgingly spilled the beans about his surprise wedding gift: he was whisking her away on a trip to the ocean, leaving their three-month old daughter in the care of her loving godparents.

Of course, a lot had changed since then. Neal had finished serving out his sentence, they'd married and moved to the quiet neighbourhood of Prospect Park in White Plains and they were now parents to not one but two children who were the centre of their universe as well as the bane of their existence.

Neal moved his hand to rest on his wife's thigh and gave a gentle tap. 'You good?' he asked, eyes on the road.

'Yeah…' she said, hesitating. 'I just wasn't expecting Liam to react like that.'

'What can I say, he loves his mom' Neal replied with a grin.

'I just hope he's not coming down with something.'

'Honey he's fine. He's just not used to us going away, that's all.'

Sara forced a smile. 'I guess…'

'Come on, let's talk about the first thing we're going to do when we get there.'

She glanced over at him and felt those predictable butterflies in her stomach - after ten years, that bright smile of his still had that effect on her. 'Maybe a late lunch and a stroll through town?'

He winked. 'Maybe a late lunch and a… nap' he countered.

'A nap?' she repeated with a grin.

'Yeaaaah…' he said, drawing out the word. 'I didn't sleep all that well last night.'

He began moving his hand up and down her thigh suggestively in an effort to get his point across. All it took was Neal's hand on her thigh to send shivers down her spine — Sara's mind was already drifting to some pretty naughty places.

'You're bad Caffrey. I happen to know you slept like a baby. I was the one who couldn't sleep.'

'I like the new dress' he said, changing the subject now that he'd been caught in a lie.

His fingers continued to linger on the floral print, playfully tugging it up her leg almost imperceptibly and coming to rest on her bare skin.

Sara did her best to stay focussed. 'They're calling for warm weather so I thought I'd pick up a couple of new outfits' she said with a sudden hitch in her voice.

Neal nodded in approval. 'Well, you look amazing' he murmured, his voice rough.

She grinned and placed her hand on his, bringing it to rest between her knees. He felt her quiver.

'Oh, it's like that, is it?' he said, his voice deepening. He let her guide his hand all the way up the inside of her thigh and grinned naughtily when she opened her legs invitingly.

She threw her head back on the headrest and let out a soft moan. 'Remember the night…'

Neal licked his lips. Seems he _did_ remember. 'That was a country road, not an interstate and it was late at night.'

Sara bit her bottom lip provocatively and drew in a long slow breath.

'And we ended up stopping by the side of the road' he reminded her. 'Otherwise, we would have landed in the ditch.'

She sighed and pulled his hand all the way up towards her lady parts. He felt the lace of her panties against the back of his hand and she heard the familiar sound of him exhaling loudly.

'So I take it that's a yes on the nap?' he teased as she let out a moan.

After more than ten years of living together, she was still an enigma to him. Her moods ran the gamut from headstrong and obstinate to passionate and lustful and everything in between. Their daily lives might have evolved into a predictable, mostly g-rated routine but the passion they'd felt when they'd first met was still very much alive. The frequency of their lovemaking might have diminished over the last few years but not the intensity. It was just a question of committing to chasing those stolen moments so they could stay connected.

Neal's mind wandered. A whole six days and seven nights without preparing meals, helping with homework and doing laundry was going to be amazing. Nothing to do but enjoy great food, fresh air and each other; one loooooong date.

He and Sara had never really dated before they got married, at least not in the traditional sense. They'd been friends with benefits, amis-amants, for months before the little mishap with the condom on the night of June's seventy-fifth birthday party. He often wondered what might have happened if the rubber hadn't been defective and he'd long ago concluded there was no such thing as accidents. Just fate pointing you in the right direction.

Neal's fingers pushed past the lace of Sara's panties and she slipped down the passenger seat an inch or two, granting him better access. He felt himself stir but managed to keep his gaze firmly on the road. Sara, on the other hand, was melting into the seat next to him, the deliciously provocative sounds escaping her lips definitely worthy of his attention.

She pressed down into the seat, closing her legs and trapping his hand between her thighs — not that Neal was complaining. Let's hear it for automatic transmissions. He was enjoying the sound of her breathing and the warmth of her silky skin as she began to thrust her hips into his nimble fingers.

Traffic began to slow to a crawl as they approached the New Haven exit, Friday traffic and all.

'Honey, you've got a spectator' Neal said as he glanced over to their right.

A curious commuter had slowed and was staring with interest at the woman writhing in the passenger's seat. Her head was thrown back and the look on her face did not require much in the way of interpretation. Neal's hand remained out of sight and his eyes glued innocently to the road ahead. But Sara… well, she was giving it all away.

Neal glanced in the man's direction and murmured. 'Yes… I _do_ have my hand down my wife's panties.'

Sara giggled and turned to look at the middle-aged man through the car window. His mouth was hanging open and she waved to him and blew him a kiss.

Neal smiled, amused. 'You did _not _just do that?' he said as a car horn sounded.

The driver was startled out of his daze and slowly inched forward, taking the exit ramp, more than likely regretting having to leave behind the little peep show he'd been privy to. Neal sure hoped the guy had an appropriate outlet for his sudden and unexpected arousal. He removed his hand from its secret hiding place and watched Sara straighten her dress.

'I'm afraid that's going to have to do for now you little vixen' he said. 'Think you can hang on until we get there?'

He wagged his eyebrows, brought his hand to his mouth and ran his fingers enticingly over his lips, looking mighty damn fine as he grinned. She noticed his tongue dart out to sneak a taste and Sara let out one last moan, aroused at the sight.

'You owe me one Caffrey' she said.

WCWCWC

Unlike the larger, more traditional lodgings located in and around Kennebunkport, the cottages Neal had stumbled upon ten years ago were quaint and cozy. Sure, there were gorgeous inns right at the water's edge affording patrons an amazing view of the ocean but there was something about the cottages that appealed to his sense of calm and serenity.

The grouping of fifteen or so cottages was located along a cove fed by the Kennebunk River and just a short drive to the endless ocean. It was the best of both worlds: fresh air and privacy just a short walk to the restaurants and boutiques in the touristy part of town. One of the features the newlyweds had most enjoyed the last time was the daily breakfast which was delivered to their door in a woven basket lined with a gingham tablecloth - fresh squeezed orange juice, hot out of the oven muffins or scones, local jams and honeys, yogurt. All they had to do was fire up the Keurig in their little kitchenette and make some fresh coffee to enjoy in the small garden just outside their door or, as they'd done a few times on their last visit, in their king size bed.

'Here, turn right' Sara called out, pointing to a less travelled road.

It was all coming back to him even if he hadn't been back in a decade. Once off the main road, it was less than a minute before the sign up on the right pointed them in the right direction. The place looked just as peaceful and quaint as it had ten years before. Sara spotted the little green cottage first, tucked in between a soft blue one and a fanciful pink one. Although the cottages were in close proximity to one another, they'd been set up to give each one some privacy, in part by its placement but mostly because of the lush gardens separating them.

'There it is!' Neal pointed.

It looked pretty well as he remembered although the outside sitting area, tucked in behind some shrubs now housed a swing for two as well as two Adirondack chairs and a small table.

'That's new' Sara said as she stepped out of the car.

A small space for parking was available in front of each cottage making it easy for dwellers to get in and out.

'I'll start unpacking if you want to check us in' Neal said, pointing to the small beige unit that housed the offices.

Sara smoothed her dress, grabbed her purse and headed down the dirt road while Neal got busy with their luggage. The pink cottage next door had a car parked in front of it but it was the only one in sight. Friday was changeover day and he guessed most people hadn't yet arrived to start their getaway.

He made his way up the little incline and placed their two bags on the porch, waiting for Sara to return with the key. On his second trip to the car, he spotted a man stepping out of the cottage next door, his head down. He was young - well younger than Neal - and he seemed preoccupied. Nonetheless, Neal waved and called out to him.

'Hi neighbour!'

The man glanced up but his serious expression didn't change. He gave Neal a dismissive wave and walked over to his car, turning his back on him.

'Can you bring in the cooler?' came a female voice coming from the cottage the man had just stepped out of.

Neal looked up and spotted a young blonde woman standing on the small porch. From where she stood, she couldn't see him but he managed to get a pretty good look at her. Maybe, like him and Sara, this was a couple on their honeymoon. By the time, he had brought up another load of stuff, the man had disappeared and Neal spotted Sara making her way back towards him. He watched as she stopped and mumbled to herself, taking off one of the sandals she was wearing and shaking out a pebble.

'Damn rocks' he heard her mutter as she got closer.

'Better change into your sneakers babe' he said as she scowled at him.

'Key' she said as she dangled the key in front of his eyes. 'Let's go see what our little piece of paradise looks like.'

WCWCWC

'I don't like this kind of meat' Liam complained as the four of them sat to a dinner of tacos.

'But this is the same meat your daddy always buys' El explained, rubbing his back.

'Yeah Liam, Daddy always makes it like this. Don't be such a cry-baby' Hope said, slipping Satchmo a handful of cheese.

'But it doesn't taste the same' Liam whined.

Peter looked sideways at his wife. What had happened to the sweet little boy who never said a cross word?

'I've got an idea' Peter said, trying to change the mood. 'Why don't I take us all out for ice cream after dinner?'

'Daddy says frozen yogurt is a healthier choice' Hope said, parroting what she'd heard her father say dozens of times before.

'You can have frozen yogurt if you want' El explained patiently. 'But tonight's special, it's our first night so if you want, you can have ice cream. I'm sure your dad wouldn't mind just this once.'

'I want ice cream' Liam exclaimed, his eyes brightening.

'All right!' Peter exclaimed. 'Then it's all set. Come on everybody, eat up.'

WCWCWC

'This. Is. Amazing' Sara sang as she dug into an overflowing plate of shellfish. Copious portions of scallops, lobster, shrimp, clams and mussels filled her oversized plate - the _Captain's Special _according to the menu.

Neal smiled at her from across the table. After a busy first day, his wife was glowing and he couldn't be happier. They'd had a late lunch in a quaint little café and to Neal's delight, they'd squeezed in both a stroll and a nap.

'Don't look now' he said, glancing over her right shoulder. 'Those are our neighbours.'

Sara turned around to look.

'What did I just say?' Neal asked with a firm shake of his head.

She returned her gaze to her husband and grinned. 'They look nice enough.'

'He was a bit standoffish when I said hello earlier' Neal commented. 'I wonder if they're on their honeymoon?'

Sara shrugged and took another huge bite of lobster, humming as the subtle flavour hit her taste buds.

'Here, try this' she said, holding up a large scallop to his lips. He grinned and snatched it off her fork as she laughed.

She looked so relaxed. He loved it when she was able to let go of the daily grind. Sara was an intense woman and it didn't take much to get her worked up. Seeing her enjoying the moment and forgetting their everyday problems made him almost giddy. Of course the bottle of wine they'd been sharing didn't hurt nor did the not so subtle game of footsies they'd been playing under the table.

'So, what do you want to do tomorrow?' he asked, placing his hand on hers.

'The weather's going to be warm' she said, her mouth full. 'Do you want to go for a little canoe ride on the cove?'

Neal hummed as he took a large spoonful of his lobster bisque. 'Yeah… do you want to get tickets to go whale watching next week? I'm thinking we should book those ahead of time.'

She nodded with enthusiasm. Suddenly, her face grew serious as her mind wandered. 'Do you think the kids are okay?'

'I'm sure the kids are perfectly fine' he replied dismissively. 'Besides, we promised we weren't going to do this.'

'What? Talk about the kids?'

'No. _Worry_ about the kids. Look, Peter and Elizabeth are more than capable of keeping things under control. All Peter has to do is flash his badge and they'll be putty in his hands.'

'I've never seen Liam so whiny' she commented, recalling her son's behaviour that morning.

Neal shrugged. 'He's a smart kid. He was just trying to make you feel guilty about leaving.'

'You think? That's not like him.'

'Liam's a little creature of habit' Neal said. 'He just doesn't deal all that well with change.'

'I suppose…'

'Hey' Neal said, tugging on her hand. 'That's enough. This is the first time we've left them in forever. I was promised great food, fresh air and unlimited sex.'

'Unlimited sex? Seriously Caffrey?'

He wagged his eyebrows. 'You know… like an all you can eat buffet.'

Sara laughed. She glanced at her watch, noting it was almost ten o'clock. Not that it mattered. They could sleep in if they wanted. 'Are you saying you're up for round two?'

Neal licked his lips seductively. He let his voice drop an octave. 'Bring it on.'

WCWCWC

'My stomach hurts' Liam cried as he appeared in the family room.

He'd been put to bed over an hour earlier but had already come downstairs three times to complain. Hope, on the other hand, had fallen asleep with her book on her lap shortly after she'd climbed into bed.

El and Peter who'd been cuddling on the couch, created space between them and Liam climbed up, crowding them. In an effort to placate him, Peter had gotten him a two scoop ice cream cone - chocolate fudge of all things. Now they were regretting their choice.

El shook her head. 'I don't know what we were thinking? Why didn't we just order him an extra large espresso to go with that?'

'You want me to read you another story pal?' Peter asked the little boy.

Liam shook his head. 'No. I want my mommy.'

'Aww sweetheart…' El moaned, rubbing his back. 'Your mom will be back. She's just having a little holiday.'

'But why? Can't she have a holiday here?'

Elizabeth pulled him onto her lap. 'That's the whole point of a holiday. You get to take a break from what you do every day. Your mom and dad are always taking care of you and Hope. They never have time to do what they want to do. Even grownups like to have fun, it's just a different kind of fun.'

Liam frowned. 'You mean like sex?' he asked.

El's eyes grew in surprise. Where the hell had that come from? Peter just smiled, amused for the second time by Liam's precocious curiosity.

'Tell you what' El said. 'How about I come up with you and I can lie down and sing to you. Would you like that?'

His forehead creased as he considered her proposal. 'Can you sing _Don't cry for me Argentina_? he asked. 'My daddy sings that to me sometimes when I can't sleep.'

El giggled. Leave it to Neal Caffrey to use Broadway hits as lullabies - and leave it to his young son to appreciate such a novel choice of song.

Peter looked at his wife; she'd really put her foot in it this time.

'Sure' she stuttered. 'I think I can manage that.'

'I can come along and watch' Peter said with an amused grin.

Elizabeth got to her feet with a sleepy Liam in her arms. Her eyes narrowed as she shot back curtly. 'That's okay honey, I've got this. Why don't you finish tidying up the kitchen instead?'

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

_A/N This chapter includes explicit description of our favourite couple making out. If you don't enjoy that kind of thing, you might want to skip this chapter OR check to make sure you have a pulse. _

**Chapter 4**

Neal stood in front of his wife, legs wide apart, staking his ground. He put out his hand.

'Give it to me' he said.

She looked up at him, batting her eyelashes but keeping a firm grip on her phone.

'No' she said defiantly.

He felt his body responding to the sultry yet decisive sound of her voice. All through dinner, he'd been fantasizing about getting her home, throwing her down on the bed and having his way with her. The fine bottle of Sauvignon blanc they'd shared had softened her sometimes rough edges and by the time they'd settled in front of a huge piece of strawberry cheesecake with a couple of forks, he was having trouble keeping his eyes - and hands - off her.

The subtle scent of her perfume… the naughty glint in her eyes… the gentle curl of her lips… the smoky sound of her voice. It had hit him all at once.

He was hot for Sara Ellis.

They'd made love earlier in the afternoon - perfectly nice vanilla sex, the kind they usually engaged in back home. Lovemaking in the sanctity of their marital bed was more often than not dictated by their work schedule, their family obligations, their energy level and other mundane things that left little room for unbridled passion and unrestrained desire. Like most couples, they did the best they could with the cards they were dealt: a quickie before the kids woke up in the morning, a hit and run while Hope and Liam were both out of the house… you know the kind of sex most couples with young kids could fit into their busy schedule. Sometimes it was sensuous, sometimes playful but let's face it, sometimes it was downright perfunctory as in _'if we don't do it now we might not get around to it for another week_'.

But ever since their little groping session in the car, Neal had become reenergized and like a kid who'd just been handed a new toy, he wasn't quite done playing with it. There was something about being out in the fresh ocean air, away from the distractions of the daily grind that had his libido in overdrive. Their earlier sexual encounter, although certainly pleasant enough, had left him wanting more and he was planning on collecting.

Right. Now.

He didn't feel like being the gentle, thoughtful lover, the sweet, loving husband. He didn't want to have to work at seducing her, cajoling her, charming her into bed. Basically, what he wanted was to give in to the pent up sexual energy that had been building as his imagination ran amok… the kind of sex that left you breathless, unable to speak, maybe a little bit sore and dripping with sweat as you lay there recovering for however long it took. Sex that didn't have to be over and done with by the time the kids woke up or that required you to be discreet and quiet. Not mommy and daddy sex but fiery, sizzling, torrid, rip the clothes off your partner's body sex with grunts and groans and dirty talk blurted out at the height of passion. Like a horny fourteen-year-old, he wanted to act on his impulses, screw her brains out, jump her bones.

'I said… give it over' Neal repeated between gritted teeth. He took a step closer, cornering her in the doorway to the bedroom. The soft scent of her perfume wafted in the air and he felt his breath hitch.

'I just want to say goodnight' she cooed, her voice mellow.

As a forty-one-year-old fully independent woman, Sara Ellis certainly didn't need her husband's permission to do anything, least of all put in a call home to check on their kids. But the little game of cat and mouse they'd been engaged in since they'd left the restaurant was so delicious, so tantalizing, it had awakened all those naughty nerve endings, leaving her tingly all over.

Her husband was so many things to so many people. He was a loving dad, a dutiful husband, a good provider, an amazing artist, a good friend and a helpful neighbour and Sara loved every single part of him. But every now and then, she missed Neal Caffrey at his most basic - cocky, smug, confident, the guy who acted on impulse, taking what he wanted without asking permission.

He stared at her steadily, his gaze intense and she could see that the blue in his eyes had begun to disappear in favour of those dark, brooding eyes she rarely got to see these days.

Somewhere outside, the distant sound of a car driving by could be heard before slowly fading away.

'It's eleven o'clock' he murmured, taking one more predatory step towards her. 'They're both asleep.'

She returned his piercing gaze. He was right of course, it was much too late to call home. But this had little to do with her making a phone call and everything to do with taunting him until one of them couldn't take it anymore and gave in to their basic impulses.

'Well then… I'll just talk to El. Ask her how things are going' she said, holding up the phone playfully and licking her lips.

Neal took a steadying breath; it wouldn't be long now, his body was beginning to betray him. Sara noticed the familiar tenting of his trousers and felt a flutter in the pit of her stomach at the thought that he would soon be unable to hold back.

He felt his heart thumping in his chest and tried his best to rein himself in as he adjusted his pants. He cleared his throat but his voice still came out rough and throaty. 'If it's going well, you'll have bothered them for nothing and if it isn't, then you'll just worry.'

One more step and the sound of the hardwood floor creaking… there was less than a foot separating them now. Neal's feet were still firmly planted on the floor, ready to pounce while Sara stood her ground, leaning provocatively against the door jamb. He examined her from head to toe - a very inappropriate way for a man to stare at a woman - unless of course said man was planning on boning said woman in the next few minutes. He noticed she had unbuttoned her silk blouse, revealing the swell of her breasts. He could hear her laboured breathing now, see her chest rise and fall.

He licked his lips.

Sara glanced over her shoulder, estimating how close she was to the bed. Except for a tiny bedside table, the king size bed occupied almost every single square inch of the tiny bedroom. She took one small step back and he followed her lead, the distance between them mere inches now.

She stared him down, daring him to grab the phone out of her hand. With the tension building, it was becoming all too obvious that the minute one of them reached out to touch the other, they would both spontaneously combust. She felt the excitement of his arousal radiating off his body and she swallowed, fighting with herself to keep from touching him.

'I'm not kidding Sara' he said menacingly while crowding her against the door frame.

The sound of his voice, gravelly and deep hit her like a ton of bricks. She lifted the phone and with her eyes locked onto his, she let it drop to the floor unceremoniously, signalling defeat.

The first contact was electric. Neal scooped her off her feet and threw her onto the bed, landing on top of her. He grabbed her wrists, pinning them over her head as he stared down at her with lust filled eyes and a sensuous smile.

She pointed in the direction of the phone on the floor and bit her bottom lip. 'Look what you made me do!'

He rubbed his length against her languidly. 'Look what _you_ made me do' he whispered, breathing hard.

He held her down and brought his lips to her neck where he began to nibble at her ear while making growling sounds. She giggled as he licked the shell of her ear and a hint of lavender soap hit his nostrils, making him hum.

Then he kissed her. Hard. He wanted to feel her, touch her, taste her. She opened her mouth to welcome his probing tongue. She could taste the bitterness of the after dinner coffee he'd had mingling with the limoncello she'd sipped on. She felt a sudden burst of energy and brought her hands to his shoulders, pushing him off her, watching as he landed on his back. She sat on his hips, pushing him down onto the mattress and just as he'd done, she grabbed his wrists, trapping him on the bed.

'Game on Caffrey' she declared, her eyes glistening with arousal.

'Not bad…' he said, his voice wavering. He wrestled his leg out from under her and wrapped it around her calves, immobilizing her.

'So how are you going to get out of this one?' he murmured, goading her.

She arched a perfectly shaped brow and leered at him. His eyes fixated on her mouth, mesmerized by her tongue as it darted in and out. Every inch of his body was strung out tighter than a violin string, every muscle tense, his lust for her overwhelming every logical thought, every shred of reason.

She looked amazing hovering over him, her pouty lips, her bright eyes, her mussed hair, her lithe form writhing against his hard body. The playfulness had all but disappeared from his gaze and had been replaced by a dark, brooding look of arousal.

'Want you babe' he moaned, desperation in his voice.

'Neal…' she murmured, as they started to roll around the bed undressing - nipping, kissing, licking, caressing, tasting each other.

His hands were moving at lightning speed now, rough and desperate, trying to reach bare skin as she mirrored his moves, unbuttoning his shirt and reaching for his belt buckle. He buried his face in the crook of her neck and inhaled her scent, so familiar, so intoxicating. He exhaled loudly as Sara dug her sharp nails into his back. He moaned, half pain, half bliss.

He was hungry for her, famished and things just couldn't move fast enough. He tugged at her bra, almost immediately giving up and ripping it off her body like some lust-filled Lothario. His teeth sank into her silky shoulder and she groaned, tugging at his pants as he lifted his hips to help her on her quest to get him naked. She slipped her hand inside his briefs, taking stock of the situation.

'Why Caffrey… you started the party without me' she whispered provocatively.

'Fuck Sara…' she heard him groan as she caressed him. Like a newbie, he could feel his restraint already starting to slip. He reached for her naked buttocks and squeezed.

And then she was on top again, pressing her body against his, feeling him squirm. Her leg swung over him and without warning or preparation, she took him in hand and let herself sink onto him as he keened.

She gasped, taking his hands in hers and sliding them up her warm belly all the way up to the underside of her sensitive breasts. No instructions needed, his nimble fingers began fondling her roughly, pinching her hardening nipples before settling on her hips to better control the rhythm of his thrusts. This was no gentle lovemaking with sweet nothings whispered in her ear. This was sex for sex's sake and it felt amazing… and liberating. With one hand bracing herself on his chest, she sat up and reached down to touch herself while she continued to rock back and forth. Neal's eyes were drawn to the look of total abandon on her face, her flushed cheeks, her mussed hair, her mouth open in a silent moan.

'Say my name…' she pleaded breathlessly as she began to ride him.

'Mildred!' Neal growled with an amused grin. She didn't react, just kept on thrusting to beat the band.

'Bastard…' she replied, panting.

The grunting continued in earnest, louder with each thrust. Hers? His? Didn't know, didn't care.

'Come on baby' he whispered huskily, coaxing her along. 'Come on sweet girl.'

Sara let out a small squeal and Neal gripped her hips tightly and flipped her onto her back as if making a point. His hips immediately settled into a punishing rhythm as she matched him stroke for stroke. Her long, lean legs wrapped around his waist and she pulled him in rough and hard, deepening his thrusts. Their mouths clashed brutally with both of them biting, nipping, a contest of wills. Neal recognized the metallic taste of blood and sucked on her bottom lip to ease the burn while Sara moaned in appreciation.

After a moment, he slowed his thrusts, determined to remain in control. This was much too delicious to rush; they had all night. Leaning slightly to one side, he slid his hand between their bodies, searching for that familiar warmth between her thighs. He heard a soft gasp and knew he'd hit pay dirt.

His head rested on her breastbone as he worked. 'Sara… babe…' he murmured breathlessly, eager to push her over the edge.

Abandoning Mildred, he whispered her name a few more times, his hips rocking furiously, his hand continuing to torture her. The sound of the headboard banging against the wall kept time with their thrusts and he brought his mouth to her ear, as he ground her into the mattress without restraint.

'You… feel… so goooood… so good' he managed, his voice faltering.

He knew her body well, felt it growing tense, heard the familiar sounds of her moans increasing with every movement of his hand. He leaned down to suckle on her breast, biting, nipping as he struggled to say her name with a mouth full of Sara. He smiled as she let out a noise that sounded like a bark.

Every single nerve ending seemed alight with pleasure and Sara tensed, riding her orgasm, drawing it out. She mumbled something, her teeth clenched. It sounded like 'so good' or 'more' or perhaps 'damn it Neal' - he couldn't be sure but the sound of her quivering voice brought him closer to the edge and seconds later, amidst a litany of profanity, he tumbled into oblivion, abandoning all sense and reason.

'Babe…' he murmured as he shuddered, his arms clasped tightly around her.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, was round one.

WCWCWC

Elizabeth had pulled off the impossible. With her very limited singing talents, she had managed to lull Liam to sleep. She lay next to him, studying his angelic face, a sweet boy whose only crime was to be sad about being separated from the parents he so loved. He was a beautiful little boy with fair hair and skin that freckled during the summer months, so different both in appearance and character from his older sister. Whereas Hope was outspoken and fundamentally curious, Liam was more thoughtful and analytical, an observer of life. And yet, they were two peas in a pod, Hope the staunch defender of her baby brother (when she wasn't busy teasing him or chewing him out) and Liam the little brother who looked up to his sister and wanted to be just like her.

His arrival had been such a joyous occasion following the difficult years that had preceded his birth. Sara's struggle with cancer when Hope was still a baby had truly tested the couple, leaving in doubt whether Neal and Sara would ever be able to have other children.

El's mind wandered despite herself. What would a baby made by her and Peter have looked like. Dark hair? Her blue eyes or his intense brown ones? Tall? Slim? Stocky?And what about disposition? Calm? Rowdy? Would a child of theirs inherit Peter's loving disposition, her sense of organization? They would never know.

Life was funny that way. You either learned to live with the cards you were dealt or you chose to dwell on the disappointment and go through life with bitterness and regret. She and Peter had decided to live their best lives without the children they had so desired. It had been difficult, especially in the beginning but with time, Elizabeth had learned to focus on her marriage, on making a success of Burke Enterprises, on enjoying the privileged life she and Peter had been blessed with.

The arrival of the Caffrey kids had been a double edged sword. It had helped fill a gap in their lives, allowing them to share in the everyday life of two amazing children. On the other hand, Hope and Liam's presence was a constant reminder of what she and Peter would never have. With Hope in particular, it had been difficult to stand by and watch Sara struggle with an unplanned pregnancy. Elizabeth had had difficulty understanding how Sara could be so ambivalent at the prospect of becoming a parent when she would have given anything to be in Sara's shoes.

Such was life and she had decided to make the best of it, to be the best godmother she could be to Neal and Sara's baby - a fairy godmother of sorts. When the Caffreys had struggled with getting pregnant the second time around, she empathized and rejoiced with them when they had finally managed to conceive.

Liam sighed in the bed next to her, their miracle boy, and she watched as his eyelids fluttered.

'Goodnight sweet boy' she murmured as she ran her hand through his hair.

WCWCWC

Neal fell onto his back with a loud thud. He was done, his body spent. Sara lay beside him, her breathing ragged. They were both drenched in sweat, their hair soaked, their muscles beginning to seize up. A soft breeze drifted in through the bedroom window, cooling their overheated bodies. Neal looked out the window at the quiet night, noticing the full moon.

'Strawberry moon…' he murmured, taking Sara's hand in his.

'Huh?'

'The full moon in June… it's called the strawberry moon.'

She smiled. 'That's pretty.'

It was all he could do to turn his head to face her. 'You all right?'

She hummed in response, reaching out to gently run her thumb over his swollen lips. Apparently, the blood he'd tasted was his, not hers.

'Sorry about that' she murmured.

He shrugged then smiled. 'We're going to be sore tomorrow.'

'Maybe wait a day or two before we go canoeing' she said.

He nodded. 'Yeah, maybe a nice quiet day hanging out, reading, sleeping.'

'What do you know Caffrey, I finally wore you out' she teased.

Neal scowled. 'I think you'll find it was the other way around.'

She shook her head, her eyes drifting shut.

'Anyway, this is all your fault' he said. 'Looking the way you did at dinner, taunting me.'

'Don't go blaming me for your lack of self restraint' she replied with a girlish giggle.

'I don't even remember the last time we went at it like that' he said, reflective. 'Or if we ever did.'

'You're forgetting all those marathon sessions in June's loft' she reminded him. 'Those weekends when I came over on Friday night and we didn't come up for air until Monday morning. Sometimes we didn't even bother to eat.'

'Feels like ages ago…'

'It was two children ago is what it was' Sara said. 'It's amazing what being away from home will do.'

Neal sighed and tried to move, his body protesting. 'One thing's for sure, we can't go to sleep like this. You want to go first?' he asked nodding towards the bathroom.

'Naw, you go' she said.

He moaned in complaint. 'You want to change the sheets?'

She moaned back. 'Fine, have your shower and I'll change the sheets.'

'In five minutes…' Neal said with a yawn.

'Sounds good' she replied.

WCWCWC

Liam spent the night nuzzled between Elizabeth and Peter Burke in his parents' king size bed. Halfway through the night, he'd come looking for solace and El hadn't had the heart to send him away.

Peter had hardly slept a wink. Somehow, having a five year old kick you repeatedly in the kidneys had not being conducive to a restful night's sleep. Who knew?

'Uncle Peter, I want pancakes' came the child's voice at six thirty the next morning.

The bed bounced as Liam jumped up and down. He hovered over his uncle, his face a mere two inches away. He blew and laughed when he noticed Peter's hair flutter.

Peter opened one eye and stared at him, a death stare. 'It's the middle of the night' he groaned.

'No, it's not. It's morning' Liam said, pointing to the lightening sky outside the bedroom window.

'I'll do it' Elizabeth said as she came to life.

Peter mumbled as he turned over, pulling the blanket over his head. 'Thanks honey.'

Was this what greeted Neal every single morning of his life - a five-year-old who was ready to face the day before the sun was even up?

'Come on sweetie' El said. 'You can show me where everything is.'

Peter scoffed, letting out a puff of air. 'Fine, fine. I'll come down too' he said, guilt superseding his need to get more shuteye.

'Yay!' came Liam's reply.

TBC


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Saturday promised to be a warm sunny day both in Maine and in White Plains. Hope woke with a smile on her face and Satchmo at her feet, ready to face the day. Generally speaking, she was a pretty happy kid no matter the day of the week. After all, one could be a social butterfly whether you were in a classroom, on the playground or on the soccer field. And Hope Ellis-Caffrey was most definitely a social butterfly.

'Hey Satch!' she beckoned, tapping her pillow.

The large dog slid up the bed until his snout rested against her cheek and gave her a couple of friendly licks.

'I'm going to soccer practice today' she explained as he stilled. 'You can come and watch but you can't run after the ball like you do when we're playing in the yard or else the coach will get angry.'

The dog watched her attentively, seemingly paying attention to every word.

'You can come to my game on Monday night too but you'll have to stay on your leash.'

The dog let out a low moan as if disappointed.

'Maybe after the game, we can let you off your leash and let you run for a while. There's like fifteen different soccer fields… I mean pitches. Coach Mike calls them pitches. We have a pretty good team too. Olivia's our goalie and to be honest, she's not that great so the offence, that's me and some of the other girls, we have to score a lot of goals because she lets a lot of them in.'

Satchmo continued to listen, lying his head next to hers on the pillow. 'It's not her fault, really. She does her best. Who wants to be a goalie anyway… I sure don't. It's way too much pressure. It's more fun to score goals anyway.'

'Hope!' came a voice from down in the kitchen. The voice of her aunt Elizabeth.

'Yup?'

'You need to get up if you want to eat before your practice.'

'Okay…' She returned her gaze to the dog, scratching his ears enthusiastically. 'I wish you could live here all the time. My mom and dad won't let me have a dog, they say I have to show I'm responsible first. Maybe if I take really good care of you, I can get aunt Elizabeth to convince them.'

Satchmo nuzzled her and she giggled. 'You're my best friend Satchmo. Well, except for Olivia Mason but as far as dogs go, you're the best.'

She hopped out of bed and walked over to her dresser, pulling out a freshly washed green and white uniform and a pair of striped soccer socks.

'Oh, I know!' she said, as she reached into the drawer again, coming away with a matching cotton handkerchief. 'We got these last year to wear in our hair but I've got an idea.'

The dog looked up, his eyes quizzical.

'Here' she said as she tied the handkerchief around his collar. 'You can be our team mascot at the practice today. Amy Brewer will be so jealous. She loves dogs but she can't have one because her dad is allergic. Amy's in my class at school _and_ on my soccer team. Olivia and I hate her. Okay, we don't hate her, we just don't hang out with her. She thinks she's better than everybody else just because her mom lets her get all her clothes at Nordstrom. My mom says Old Navy is just as good but… anyway… Amy only wants to hang around with Jessica and Petra because they're blond like her. They call themselves the sunshine girls. Seriously… that's so stupid! As if you can control the colour of your hair.'

Satchmo began wagging his tail as he got to his feet. He licked her hand and rolled onto his back, asking for a few belly rubs. He whimpered as she obliged.

'I think we should call you Rebel, what do you think? That's our team's name, the Westchester Rebels' she said, heading for the stairs.

'Come on Rebel' she called out to him. 'Rebel, Rebel!'

Satchmo glanced around, wondering who the heck she was talking to. Seeing no one else around, he picked himself up off the floor and followed her down the stairs.

WCWCWC

Neither the sound of the coffee maker nor the wonderful aroma of Italian Roast was enough to rouse Neal from his slumber. He was taking full advantage of their first night by the ocean, swaddled in a cozy duvet.

Sara, on the other hand, had stirred to the sound of the housekeeping staff's footsteps as breakfast was left on their porch. She slipped on a robe and got up to investigate. Despite the copious meal she'd had the night before (but perhaps not surprisingly) she found that she was starving.

She opened the door to the cottage and found a large wicker basket covered with a couple of colourful cloth napkins. The smell of fresh pastries wafted through the morning air and she rushed to uncover the treasures hidden beneath. To her delight, she found a glass pitcher of fresh squeezed orange juice, a bowl of strawberries and blueberries, some vanilla yogurt and an assortment of scones: blueberry, lemon cranberry and a savoury one, which upon closer examination smelled of cheese with black olives.

She hummed as she popped a strawberry in her mouth and headed over to the small kitchenette to brew a pot of coffee. The sun shone in through the double window, brightening the room - the same sun as back home yet somehow brighter, the air so much cleaner, the birds so much chirpier. She felt some tightness in her back and gave herself a gentle rub. She wondered what state Neal would be in when he finally came to.

Dinner out at one of the most popular seafood places in Kennebunkport had been amazing but the real fun had begun when they'd gotten back. Neal had been in rare form - not that she was complaining - but his enthusiastic display of athleticism had left them both bruised and sore. They'd need to tone things down if they wanted to enjoy more than the four inner walls of their cute little cottage. Her thoughts drifted to the kids and the scene that must be playing out in their suburban kitchen right about now. In an hour or so Hope would be heading out to practice and she could well imagine Liam lying in front of the TV in the family room, waiting for breakfast to be served. She picked up her phone and texted a brief message to her best friend.

_'__Arrived safely'_ she wrote. _'Everything good at home?'_

The coffee maker gurgled as she pulled out a couple of mugs and bowls and set them on the small kitchenette counter. Before she was even done, her phone pinged.

_'__Hope you guys are having a good time. The kids are fine. BTW your bed is soooo comfy LOL'_ came the response.

Reassured, Sara set the phone down and to the sound of her husband's snoring, she returned to the food basket with a hungry hum. She poured herself a large mug of coffee and stared at the basket of baked goods, making her choice.

Coffee in hand and lemon cranberry scone stuffed between her teeth, she grabbed her book and headed out in her bare feet to enjoy the morning sun on their little private oasis aka patio. Settling in, she threw her head back and let the sun warm her face before turning her attention to the book she'd started to read about a month back. She sighed as she realized that in all that time she'd only made it to page 68. Their busy life didn't leave much time for putting her feet up with a good book. It was time to get down to it.

She'd reached page 73 when voices were heard coming from the cottage next door. She looked up from her book, trying to see if she could spot something through the branches of the arrow wood bush separating the two cottages. The greenery certainly helped create a visual screen but did nothing for the sounds drifting from one cottage to the next. She had a momentary thought for the unrestrained sounds she and Neal had indulged in the night before and felt her cheeks redden.

'You stupid cow!' she heard, clear as a bell.

Not exactly sweet words of love. Did some men really address their spouses that way?

The man's voice again. Even angrier this time. 'I give you one fucking job to do and you can't even do that right.'

The sound of the screen door opened and she spotted some movement between the branches - a blond head of hair… a woman. Sara watched her walk to the end of the little path leading to the parking lot where she was able to get a better view of the woman: young, younger than she was anyway, small frame with straight blond hair and bangs covering her forehead. Her body language spoke volumes: her head hung down, her steps were tentative and Sara watched as she lifted a trembling hand and wiped at her eyes.

Sara was torn between picking up her book and pretending to be reading or acknowledging the woman's presence. Her curious nature got the best of her.

'Hi' she called out as the young woman looked up, surprised to find someone there.

'Hi' she replied, her voice quiet.

'Everything okay?' Sara asked.

The woman shrugged and forced a smile. 'Sometimes he just needs to let off some steam. You know how guys can get.'

Sara wanted to reply that no, in her experience, this was not the way couples spoke to each other but she bit her tongue.

'Would you like a cup of coffee?' she asked instead, lifting her cup.

The woman looked nervously towards the door to her cottage and then back at Sara.

'It's already made' Sara added, getting to her feet.

The woman smiled, although in Sara's estimation, it was a rather sad smile. She took a few steps towards the enclosed area where Sara had settled on one of the two chairs next to a table and a swing.

'Okay…' she finally said as she got closer.

Sara made quick work of heading inside to grab a second cup and she returned, placing the steaming coffee in front of the young woman.

'Sara' she said with a smile, putting out her hand.

'Beth… nice to meet you.'

'Have a seat. My husband is still sound asleep so I could use the company.'

Beth looked down at the book Sara had set aside. 'Harlan Coben' she read. 'He's one of my favourites.'

Sara nodded. 'It's nice to read something other than a report from work or proofreading the kids' homework.'

'How old are your kids?'

'We have a ten-year-old girl and a five-year-old boy. You?'

'Naw' she said with a shrug. 'We've only been married a little over a year. We haven't really decided about kids yet. Brett can be pretty high maintenance' she added nervously, pointing to the little pink cottage.

Sara nodded and took a sip of coffee, taking advantage of the moment to further examine her neighbour. Despite her smile, she had a definite look of sadness, like a wounded animal and Sara couldn't help but notice the blooming bruise on her cheek.

She could hear Neal's voice in her head: _'Don't go snooping around and asking all kinds of questions.' _In her mind, she told him to shut up.

'Wow, this is great coffee' Beth said, inhaling deeply. 'Brett likes instant.'

'It's Italian Roast, one of the few indulgences we allow ourselves' Sara explained. 'We brought it from home.'

There was an uncomfortable silence and Sara debated what to say. There had obviously been some sort of disagreement between the young couple. Perhaps if she didn't push, the young woman would offer up some information.

'Are you… here for a special occasion?'

'My husband is here to look at a garage he wants to buy. Up the road in Kennebunk. We thought we'd make a holiday of it and spend a few days by the ocean.'

Sara nodded and Beth added 'You?'

'Oh, this is our tenth wedding anniversary and we came here for our honeymoon. Neal - that's my husband - he thought it would be fun to come back.'

The door to the cottage next door opened with a bang and Beth instantly got to her feet, realizing she was still holding the cup of coffee in her hands.

Sara observed through the foliage as a man turned his back and locked the cabin door behind him. From her vantage point, she could see he was a rather large guy, over six feet with large shoulders. His dark hair hung on his shoulders and she could see the work boots on his feet.

He followed the path his wife had taken moments before and stopped suddenly as he noticed her standing there looking like a deer in the headlights.

'What the fuck are you doing there?' the man asked.

He spotted Sara and looked down at his feet, seemingly embarrassed. 'We gotta go.'

'I'm ready' Beth said, putting down the cup. She turned to introduce Sara to her husband but he'd already walked over to their truck and was busy unlocking it.

'Sorry' she said meekly though she had nothing to apologize for.

'It was nice meeting you Beth' Sara said. 'Come on over any time. Next time, we can have a glass of wine instead of coffee.'

The woman looked away and even though, moments before, she'd been sitting there smiling and relaxed, Sara watched her body dissolve into a heap of skin and bones, returning to what it had been earlier: shoulders round, furtive gaze, tentative footsteps.

'See you later!' Sara called out as the woman disappeared behind a bush.

WCWCWC

'I had no idea this many kids played soccer' Peter said as he stood on the sidelines of the soccer pitch chatting with Jeff Mason.

Around them were fifteen other soccer pitches making up the White Plains Soccer Club. And every single one of them was overflowing with kids of all ages, their parents, their coaches.

'Everybody plays soccer around here' Jeff replied. 'This is the suburbs. I think every single boy and girl between the ages of five and eighteen plays. Neal said he was signing up Liam to play in the recreational league.'

Peter glanced over at Liam who sat nearby with a few other boys his age, collecting small pebbles and trading them amongst themselves for more desirable ones. It was hard to imagine that kids that age could concentrate long enough to play soccer let alone understand the rules of the game. Satchmo on the other hand was showing quite a bit more interest. He lay at Peter's feet, watching the ball fly back and forth and barking in encouragement from time to time.

Peter had met Jeff Mason on a couple of occasions - once at a Super Bowl party Neal and Sara had hosted and at a couple of their Christmas carolling get-togethers. He'd also been on the receiving end of Neal's moaning about Jeff as the two men faced off every year during the Christmas decorating contest. The guy seemed friendly enough; Peter's take was that Neal and Jeff's little tug of war was more about Neal's ferocious competitive streak than anything else.

'Uncle Peter! Look!' came Hope's voice as she flew by them, the soccer ball at her feet.

Peter looked up and waved as she continued down the field towards Olivia who was in net at the other end of the pitch. Satchmo chimed in with a loud bark. She could sure move. Peter felt a swell of pride and glanced over at the woman who stood beside him.

'That's my goddaughter!' he announced with a smile.

Hope could feel the wind on her face as a couple of her teammates tried to catch up to her. She could feel it in her bones… she was going all the way. She watched Olivia move to her left as she came up that side of the pitch. Big mistake Hope thought. She kept telling her best friend not to fall for it._ 'You got to stay centred in the net until the striker makes a move_' she'd told her so many times.

The far side of the net was wide open and a quick little manoeuvre with her agile feet and Hope had the ball on the inside of her foot, ready to strike. Olivia made a move to cover but lost her footing, falling over and rolling on the hard ground in disappointment.

'I keep telling you' Hope called out as she took a victory lap.

Peter heard Jeff groan. 'I'll never understand why she likes to play in nets' the man said.

Hope glanced over towards her uncle Peter and pumped her fist.

'Nice move' came a man's voice, attracting her attention.

He stood behind the net like all the other spectators - moms and dads keeping an eye on their kids throughout the one hour practice. But the only team on the pitch was hers and she didn't recognize him as any of the dads. He wore a baseball cap and a pair of sunglasses and was smiling widely at her. She stared for a moment - there was something awfully familiar about him although she couldn't put her finger on it. He gave her a thumbs up and she smiled.

'Thank you' she said politely, returning to join the rest of the girls.

WCWCWC

Sara was up to page 132 by the time Neal stepped out of the cottage dressed in nothing but sleep pants and a wife beater. He walked gingerly, balancing a cup of coffee and a bowl of yogurt as he came towards her.

'Good morning sleepy head' she called out, getting to her feet to give him a hand.

Neal leaned forward to place his yogurt bowl on the table when his back seemed to seize up. She came to his rescue, taking the yogurt from him as he straightened up with a little difficulty.

'Ewww' she said with a grimace. 'Sore?'

Neal shook it off and turned to face her. 'You might say that' he moaned.

Sara slipped her arms around his waist, exaggerating her gesture. 'Come on old man, let me give you a hand with that' she said, leading him over to the chair.

He rolled his eyes. 'Don't get cocky woman' he admonished as he brought his arms around her. His eyes brightened and he leaned down to gently kiss her lips. Seems he was back to being his old sweet, gentle self.

'How'd you sleep?' he murmured softly as he let his lips linger on hers.

She picked up on a bit of a frown and she pulled away, studying the damage she'd done to his lower lip. She kissed it gently and he smiled.

'I'm sorry I got carried away. I didn't mean to draw blood.'

He let himself fall in the Adirondack chair. 'I'm not complaining' he said.

They settled back in their chairs and he glanced down at the book she'd set down on the table. 'You've been reading that book for weeks.'

'Correction, I've been _trying_ to read that book for weeks. I'm determined to finish it while we're here.'

He gazed at her and she could see a serene look she didn't often see on his face. 'You look really happy' she commented, reaching out to touch his hand.

'I'm always happy… when you're around' he said in his usual charming way. 'I swear I think it's the ocean air. I just feel so relaxed and I don't remember the last time I slept so soundly.'

'I had a visitor while you were sleeping' she said.

He looked up, frowning. 'Oh yeah?'

'I met our neighbours. Well, at least the woman… the guy doesn't look very friendly.'

Neal took a sip of his coffee and sighed, settling in to listen.

'Her name is Beth. But the guy… I think she said his name is Brett…'

'What?' Neal asked when she stopped suddenly.

'I don't know… I think he might be… abusing her.'

'Abusing her?' Neal repeated as he sat up straight.

Sara leaned forward, intent on making her point. 'He was yelling at her.'

'Honey, that's a pretty major accusation to make about someone you don't even know.'

'I know but… she looked like a wounded bird when she came out of the cottage. I invited her to come over for a cup of coffee and she and I had a perfectly nice chat and then, he came out and started in on her and her body language Neal…'

She grew animated. 'And she had the beginnings of a bruise under her eye.'

Neal listened, not sure what to think. He'd gotten into plenty of trouble over time getting mixed up in things that were none of his business. These days, he tried not to get involved… but then again, that was easier said than done.

'Did you ask her about it?'

She scoffed. 'Right Neal, that's a conversation starter right there. '_Did your husband do that to you?'_'

'Babe, as far as arguing goes, everybody argues. _You and I_ argue all the time. Maybe this is just their way of being with each other. If people overheard _us_ last night, they might have thought I was hurting you.'

She gave him an eyebrow wag. 'You _were_ hurting me' she said with a naughty grin.

He scoffed. 'You know what I mean. Just… don't get involved. We're here to relax and have a good time.'

She sighed, unconvinced. 'But…'

He cut her off. 'Look, let's keep our eyes open. But don't go looking for trouble, all right?'

She nodded. 'So, old man. What do you want to do today?'

Neal looked around, took in a deep breath and smiled. 'Can't we just sit here?'

WCWCWC

'Stay put' Peter said to Liam as he pointed. 'I'm just going over there. The coach wants to talk to all the parents.'

Liam nodded and returned his attention to the two other boys he'd been playing with. The sunshine on his back disappeared as he became aware of someone looming over him.

'Hi Liam' the stranger said.

TBC


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

The Burkes declared Saturday night 'movie night' and ordered two extra large pizzas. Mozzie had shown up right around dinnertime - no real surprise there - and the five of them were now sprawled out in the family room surfing the Disney channel for something everyone could agree on. Thankfully, Liam seemed calmer than the night before. Of course, his surrogate parents had learned their lesson and had refrained from giving him any chocolate - or espressos for that matter. He nonetheless was snuggled on the couch between his sister and his uncle Moz, one arm linked to theirs on either side, searching for comfort.

'How come nobody else is having the pineapple pizza?' he asked, staring at the open boxes.

The all dressed pizza had been devoured whereas the ham and pineapple one was minus one lonely piece - the one eaten by the five-year-old.

'Because some of us actually have taste' Hope replied cockily.

Liam frowned, the sarcasm in his sister's voice going right over his head. 'No, you don't!' he argued.

'Now, now, no arguing' El said, ever the peacemaker. 'Everybody has different tastes when it comes to food.'

'When are my mom and dad coming home?' Liam asked with a pout.

Peter glanced at his wife; it was going to be one hell of a long week.

'In six more nights' Elizabeth explained.

His bottom lip quivered. 'SIX! That's more than five!'

Mozzie handed him the remote. 'Here buddy, why don't you choose the movie?' he said, hoping to distract him.

Liam shook his head, his eyes droopy. 'When's Nathan's party?'

'It's Wednesday afternoon, remember? You've got a p.d. day on Wednesday, no school' El reminded him.

'Then, how many days will it be before my mom and dad come home after Nathan's party?'

'After the party, there'll be only two more sleeps before they come home' she explained, raising two fingers.

'Can I call my mommy?' he asked.

El made a show of checking her watch. 'I think they're probably in bed by now' she fibbed, hoping to avoid more drama.

Truth was Sara had called earlier in the day to check on things. An hour later, Peter's phone had rung - Neal doing the same. El had assured her best friend that things were going along swimmingly and that they should stop worrying and enjoy themselves.

Hope lifted her arm and brought it to rest around her brother's shoulder. 'It's fine Liam' she said as he leaned into her. 'Mom and Dad will be back soon. In the meantime, you've got me.'

He sniffled and she gave him a hug. Baby brothers could be such a pain.

'I've got an idea' Mozzie piped up. 'Why don't you and I have a sleepover? I'll stay over and we can sleep down here on the hide-a-bed and tomorrow, we can hang out, maybe go visit one of my safe houses.'

Elizabeth and Peter exchanged looks. Was this on the list of things Neal and Sara approved of?

Liam perked up and looked up at his uncle Moz with his bright green eyes. 'Can we go to the one with that giant statue of the man with an umbrella and a little dog?'

Mozzie cleared his throat. Nothing like an innocent child ratting you out on one of your biggest scores. He avoided Peter's intense glare and took the remote from his godson's hand, turning on the TV in order to create a distraction.

'Maybe I can come along' Peter said, his eyes mischievous.

Mozzie grew suspiciously quiet. Having a Fed visit one of his safe houses was strictly off limits.

'Nice try Suit' he replied.

WCWCWC

Further up the coast, Neal and Sara had decided to spend a quiet night in. They'd visited the specialty deli they'd discovered on their last trip and had loaded up their basket with Neptune salad, fresh bread and cheese, a couple of bottles of wine and some decadent chocolate dessert they'd been unable to resist.

Despite their fatigue from the night before, they'd spent the afternoon taking a nice leisurely stroll along the ocean shore, holding hands and dipping their toes as they went. The salty air had filled their lungs, washing away the last remnants of the worries that too often occupied their busy minds. Very few words were spoken, just the pure enjoyment of the waves lapping the shore, the seagulls soaring above with their familiar choking call.

Life away from the kids felt strange and unsettling and yet, they couldn't deny that spending a few days without any responsibilities was totally liberating.

They'd just loaded up their plates and had settled on the comfy couch in their cozy cottage when Neal reached for the remote. Sara's hand was instantly on his.

'Wait!' she said in a whisper.

He frowned at her and watched as she put her head back against the couch and closed her eyes.

'Listen' she urged as he leaned back, joining her.

Darkness had settled outside and all the nighttime creatures had come out to play. No city noises, just the sound of crickets chirping, the croak of the bullfrogs, the mockingbird's nightly complaint. No kids calling out, no laundry, no dishes to clear after a chaotic meal, just the two of them, the calming sounds of nature and the faint scent of ocean air.

'Nice' he murmured, turning to face her.

She smiled back and their lips met, soft and warm, none of the intensity from the night before.

'I love you Repo' he said, his heart suddenly full to bursting.

'Confession time…' she murmured, taking advantage of his good mood. 'I called home earlier and talked to El.'

He shrugged. 'So did I' he admitted.

She gave him a playful slap on the arm.

'Peter says Liam's having a bit of a hard time' he said. 'Hopefully, it'll get easier when he goes back to school on Monday and sees his friends.'

'Do you miss them?' she asked.

'The truth? Not this very minute' he admitted, leaning against his wife's shoulder and purring.

She smiled. She knew all too well that by the end of the week, they'd be eager to get home to the kids and to their regular routine. But for now, this little oasis, this getaway… well, it was just perfect.

WCWCWC

Peter made it halfway through _Frozen_ before his jaw slackened and he let his head fall back on the couch. He'd been running around all day, first taking Hope to and from her soccer practice followed by a few errands and a trip to the dollar store so the kids could spend their allowance. He'd topped it all off by cutting the front and back lawn before playing ball with Satchmo and Liam in the backyard.

Life in Brooklyn was something else altogether. Saturdays were meant for puttering around the house at his own leisure, perhaps napping on the couch after lunch and catching a game on the tube - any sport, he wasn't fussy. The life of a family man living in the burbs was a total shock and he was gaining new appreciation for Neal's life as a father of two.

Having a couple of active kids took up pretty well all of your time. They had to be driven around everywhere, fed, bathed, put to bed, supervised and cared for. It was selfless and tiring and he wasn't quite sure how Neal and Sara managed to do it all. Of course, there was the small matter of the almost dozen year differential between himself and Neal but still, kudos to his buddy.

'Hon? Honey?' came his wife's voice.

Mozzie stood next to her with Liam asleep in his arms and Hope and Satchmo had disappeared - ostensibly upstairs to bed.

Peter shook his head, knocking the sleep from his eyes. 'What?'

'Bed' Elizabeth declared, pulling him to his feet.

WCWCWC

Monday morning heralded the return to work for Peter - and for that, he was grateful. The drive into Manhattan took forever and he wished he'd taken Neal's advice and hopped on the train. He didn't get how people commuted every day from the suburbs but it was the price to pay for a little extra space and a lot more quiet.

Diana and Jones were sipping coffee when he arrived - late and harried.

'Daddy's here!' Diana called out as Peter frowned in reply. He was going to be in for an awful lot of teasing.

'Stop being such a smart ass' he replied. 'My office. Now.'

Diana followed him up, finding him standing behind his desk with his briefcase open. He took out his lunch and a couple of case files he'd managed to find the time to look at over the weekend and set everything aside. Something tugged at his memory, something he didn't want to forget.

The kids.

He was the one picking them up from school today, considering El had an appointment with a client at three. He grabbed a yellow post it and wrote KIDS with a bold black marker, underlining it twice before sticking it on his computer screen.

Spotting the note, Diana chuckled. 'Welcome to the world of parenthood, boss!' she said with a wide grin.

'How do you do it?' he asked, shaking his head. Diana and Christie's two girls were a handful but Agent Berrigan always seemed to have things well in hand.

'Well, for one thing, there's two of us' Diana began, sipping her coffee.

'Yeah, and two of them' Peter said as if she needed reminding.

'You just get into a routine, you schedule yourself to death and you make it work. Once Ginny starts school, Christie will pick up more shifts at the hospital. In the meantime, we have to find a way to make it work.'

Peter's computer screen had come alive and he was already punching away at the keyboard. 'Bronze statue of a man holding an umbrella with a little dog' he asked, practically salivating. 'Ring a bell?'

'That sounds like the Bronze Horseman? Disappeared overnight in 2004 right from a city park in St. Petersburg.'

Peter typed it in, reading the particulars of the theft and examining a photograph of the sculpture. He'd have to grill Liam on the details when he got home. This looked like a classic Neal and Mozzie theft: whimsical, daring, totally arbitrary.

The phone rang on Peter's desk and he eyed it suspiciously. He didn't want anything interrupting his well laid plans for the day.

'Peter Burke' he said gruffly into the receiver. Diana watched as his face grew taut and it became obvious that whatever he was hearing did not please him one bit.

'What the hell do you mean, he's been released?' Peter shouted into the phone.

He argued with whoever was on the other end for a few moments, unsuccessfully before finally hanging up.

'Cornyn?' Diana asked.

'He's been released pending a court date.'

'How come?' Diana said. 'He has a record.'

'Judge ruled he wasn't an immediate threat, had him render his passport and cut him loose.'

Diana could see the look of worry on Peter's face. 'What is it?'

Peter tried to shake it off. 'Nothing… he was pissed at Neal.'

'Idle threats' she replied with a shrug.

'Maybe… I just hate it when the perp zeroes in on one of us in particular.'

'Yeah, but Neal's not even around…' Diana said, not that Peter needed reminding of that.

'Look, why don't we pay him a friendly visit, find out what he's up to.'

WCWCWC

The school yard of Ridgeway Elementary School was buzzing with laughter and the joyous sound of children's voices. As always, Hope and Olivia had joined a group of their friends for a friendly session of skipping rope. Off in a corner, Hope spotted Amy Brewer, surrounded by her regular entourage of fair haired ten-year-olds. The _sunshine girls _didn't do things as mundane as skip rope or play dodge ball… that was much too unrefined. The small exclusive group sat around Amy as she animatedly talked about her weekend, how her mom had taken her to the spa. She flashed her brightly coloured nails and the girls oohed and aahed on cue as she fluttered her eyelashes.

Hope rolled her eyes and looked at her best friend.

'Did you get it?' she finally asked, annoyance morphing into excitement.

Olivia Mason nodded with exaggeration. 'Yup, it's called _golden champagne.'_

Hope's smile widened. 'Did your mother see?'

'Nope, I told her I wanted to spend my allowance so she went off and did her thing. I smuggled it out of the store without her seeing.'

The girls exchanged fist bumps and exchanged places, Hope handing over the end of the skipping rope so Olivia could take her turn.

As she did at every recess, Hope glanced over in the direction of the kindergarteners' yard, separated from the larger playground by a wrought iron fence. Keeping an eye on her kid brother was something she'd gotten into the habit of doing whenever the children were set loose for their morning and afternoon recess. Most of the time, Liam wasn't even aware of her checking on him as he climbed the play structure or ran around the yard with his friends. Today however, when she looked over, she saw him standing up by the fence, his face pushed up against the metal bars. He looked like he might be crying.

She headed in his direction, momentarily leaving her friends behind. There was movement on the sidewalk and she glanced over, noticing a man observing the children on the school playground. She squinted. It was the very same man who had talked to her at soccer practice. He wore the same baseball cap and sunglasses and was looking in her direction. When she'd seen him on the soccer field, she thought she'd recognized him from somewhere but she couldn't place him. She'd meant to mention it to her uncle Peter but had forgotten all about it by the time they'd gotten home. Now here he was again and although he smiled and waved, she felt a shiver run down her spine.

'Hope!' Liam cried out, tears running down his face.

She made her way over to the fence and crouched down, looking into his eyes. 'Liam, why are standing here instead of playing?'

'I miss Mommy' he hiccuped as she slid her hands between the bars and brought her arms to rest around him.

'Don't cry, I told you they'll be home soon' she said, squeezing him up against the metal bars.

She looked over towards the street, the man was still standing there watching them. Again, she felt uneasy.

She bit her lip as memories of Matthew Keller came flooding back. Four years earlier, her dad's old nemesis had appeared, intent on tormenting him. He'd lured her away from school on a cold winter afternoon and had whisked her away, keeping her under lock and key for two horrifying days and nights. She rarely thought about the incident anymore although, after that unfortunate episode, she'd grown more wary of strangers - especially men she didn't know. The stranger on the soccer field had called her by name and although he'd been friendly, she'd felt uneasy. Here he was again. Was this just a coincidence? Was he someone's dad she'd just never noticed before?

Her eyes returned to her brother, wiping his eyes with her sleeve. 'Liam, you remember our safe word, right? The one Daddy taught us.'

He looked puzzled, unsure why she was bringing up the subject. As all good parents, Neal and Sara had done their due diligence by having the 'safety' talk with their kids on many occasions: never get into a car with a stranger, ask for the safe word if someone says they're there on behalf of their parents.

'Tell me' she repeated, her voice suddenly urgent. 'What's our safe word?'

'Hum… caterpillar?' he said, unsure.

'Right' she said. 'Not so loud.'

'Hope, you're scaring me' he said, his lower lip trembling.

'Don't be scared' she said, realizing this was not a good time to add to his woes. 'And don't be sad, okay? Maybe we can ask Auntie Elizabeth if we can call Mom and Dad tonight… or maybe send them a picture.'

He nodded and sniffled, trying his best to be brave.

'Oh look' Hope said, pointing. 'There's Nathan, why don't you go play with him?'

Liam looked over in the direction of the play structure where his buddy was calling him over.

'Okay' he said, wiping his eyes to make sure nobody could see he'd been crying - even little boys had their pride.

And just like that, he was off, a bounce in his step.

When Hope looked up towards the stranger, he was gone.

WCWCWC

By noon Monday, the Caffrey's kitchen table was covered with fabric scraps as well as stacks of RSVPs. With the kids in school, it was time for Elizabeth to get some work done. She had a big wedding coming up and normally, she would have spent most of the weekend working. Now, she had some catching up to do.

She'd offered to do the school drop-off so Peter could head into the office early. She'd be counting on him to do the same for her later on in the week.

The weekend had been busy with the kids' activities. Although Neal and Sara had stocked up on pretty well everything, Liam had requested sloppy joes for dinner on Sunday so Peter had taken Hope with him to pick up a few ingredients at the local grocery store. El's main concern since they'd settled in White Plains was Liam and his broken little heart. After Mozzie's visit and a night of reprieve, Liam had shown up in their bed again before the sun had come up, depriving them of their last few precious hours of sleep.

El put her pen down and sighed. She couldn't believe Neal and Sara did this kind of stuff every weekend. Groceries, driving the kids to and fro, meals, laundry, baths, homework, making lunches. And yet, the couple managed to find time for each other and still looked amazing doing it.

Sara, in particular, remained a mystery to her best friend. She still dressed just as elegantly as she always had although El had noticed the shopping sprees weren't quite as frequent or lavish as they used to be. At work, Neal still wore the many dapper suits he'd inherited from June but she noticed how relaxed he seemed when he got home and slipped into the jeans and t-shirts he now favoured. Apparently there was something to be said for being busy with a young family. Even though he'd probably always have that mischievous look in his eye, he just didn't have time to act on his previous impulses - and he didn't look terribly miserable about it.

El refilled her coffee cup and sat down, staring at the mess of work she needed to tackle. Her mind wandered to the life she and Peter might have had if they'd been blessed with kids - probably something not unlike this. Being DINKS, although not their original plan, had its advantages - mainly the freedom to follow their whims. She shook off the nostalgia and got to work.

She'd been at it for about an hour when the phone rang, heralding an unexpected change to her plans for the day.

TBC


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

'Mrs. Burke, may I see some identification?' the school secretary asked.

Elizabeth fumbled with her wallet, pulling out her driver's license. 'Is he all right?'

'He's fine. He has a cut on his knee which might require a couple of stitches. The principal just thinks you should have him checked.'

El nodded and looked around nervously. 'Where is he?'

'He's in the nurse's office, follow me.'

She could hear Liam's voice chatting away as they got closer to the small infirmary but when she turned the corner and he got a look at her, he broke out in tears.

'Auntie El' he cried. 'I hurt myself.'

She rushed to his side. 'Hi sweetie! What happened?'

'I felled off the climber' he replied with a pout. He put out his knee which had been covered by a gauzy bandage. A smattering of blood had seeped through.

'Maybe we can get the doctor to have a look at it and then you can come home with me and have a little rest. What do you say?'

He nodded enthusiastically. 'Can I have ice cream?' he asked. 'It will make my knee feel better.'

Elizabeth picked him up in her arms and hugged him. 'I think that can be arranged.'

WCWCWC

'You look awfully comfy' Sara said as she stepped into the bedroom. 'Good read?'

It had gone past noon and Neal was still in his sleep pants, sitting up in bed with his eyes glued to the book he was reading, totally oblivious to her presence.

'I guess that's a yes' she mumbled under her breath.

'Sorry honey, what'd you say?' he asked, finally noticing her standing there.

'Nothing' she said with an amused grin. She couldn't remember the last time she'd seen her husband read something that wasn't work related.

She sat on the edge of the bed and reached for a pair of walking shoes, slipping them on while he returned to his book. The remnants of breakfast sat nearby and she reached out, grabbing a chunk of pineapple and popping it into his mouth. He hummed in appreciation but kept reading.

'Wait a minute' he finally said, putting his book down on his bare chest. 'Where are you going?'

'I told you. Twice. I'm going for a walk.'

He frowned. 'Well, give me a minute… let me get dressed. I'll come with you.'

He made a half-hearted effort to sit up; it was obvious by the look on his face that he was in no real hurry to get out of bed.

'Neal, we're not joined at the hip' she said. 'Enjoy your book. I'm just going to take a stroll around the property, see if the ducks are out this morning.'

'You sure?' he asked - the way you asked your spouse if she was _really_ okay with you leaving her to scrub the stack of dirty pots on the kitchen counter.

'I'm sure' she called out over her shoulder. 'I won't be long.'

He slithered down on the bed with a sigh of pure contentment. Reading was one of those luxuries he just didn't have time for in his busy life as a working dad.

As luck would have it, that was when his phone buzzed, snapping him out of his fantasy world. Seeing Peter's name and face appear on the screen caused his heart to skip a beat.

'Peter!' he called out, slightly breathless.

'Hey buddy!' Peter said.

'What's wrong? Is it the kids?'

'No, no, no, nothing like that' Peter replied.

'You're calling me on holiday when you gave me hell for calling home just two days ago?'

Peter appeared flustered. 'You're right, you're right…. Look the kids are fine, everything's great' he continued.

In light of the call he'd just gotten from Elizabeth who was visiting the hospital emergency room with Liam, that might be a slight exaggeration. But the little guy's injury was minor and with any luck, Neal and Sara would forgive him for keeping that little tidbit of information from them until they got home.

'Look, it's probably nothing but after the way Cornyn threatened you… I thought you should know that he's out on bail.'

Neal sat up straight, the book falling from his lap onto the bed. 'How come they released him?'

'Long story' Peter replied. 'But I felt I should warn you. Just in case.'

'I'm sure those were just idle threats.'

'You're probably right. But just… just be extra careful, all right? Keep your eyes peeled.'

'Yeah, yeah, sure. I'll mention it to Sara too. I guess we can't be too careful. Why don't you send me his mug shot… so I can show it to her.'

'Okay' Peter said, his voice quiet. 'Look, I'm really sorry to have to call you with this. I just think you should know, in case the guy does something stupid.'

Neal hummed in reply; sadly, it wasn't the first time he'd been threatened by someone they'd brought to justice and it probably wouldn't be the last.

'By the way' Peter added, trying to sound casual. 'Did you and Mozzie spend any time in Russia? Say… in 2003?'

Neal was taken aback by the question. 'Russia? I guess… I think we might have been in St. Petersburg in the fall of that year. I really don't remember, we weren't staying put for very long back then. Why?'

'Nothing, just… I'll tell you when you get back' Peter replied with a sneaky grin.

Neal cleared his throat, now totally curious. 'Don't forget, it's Monday. Hope has a soccer game tonight. Tell her I said not to be afraid to use her left foot.'

'Will do' Peter said reassuringly. 'You guys just enjoy yourselves and we'll see you in a few days.'

WCWCWC

Stepping out into the fresh clean air, Sara was greeted by a sky that was bluer than blue. No humidity associated with those dog days of summer, just cool air and warm sunshine. She was still on the porch of their tiny bungalow when she heard the sound of a door slamming coming from the cottage next door. Through the foliage, she could see Beth's husband stomping off towards his truck, climbing in and slamming the car door behind him as the engine roared to life. Pebbles flew as he sped off down the dirt road.

'Asshole' she said under her breath as quiet slowly returned. Sadly, it didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what was going on in that marriage.

Despite Neal's words of caution, she headed towards their neighbours' place in order to check things out. Her gentle knock was answered by Beth, who stood back from the screen door, remaining in the shadows.

'I was wondering if you'd like to join me for a walk' Sara said. 'I noticed your husband leaving and it's a gorgeous day.'

Beth took a step back and Sara boldly opened the screen door to get a better look.

The moment Sara saw her face, she decided she wouldn't take no for an answer. The woman was sporting a brand new contusion on the left side of her mouth - to say nothing of the cut on her bottom lip. Another few hours and her face would be morphing into the colours of the rainbow.

Before Sara even had the chance to ask about the injury, Beth mumbled something about what a klutz she was for having walked right into the door jamb during the night. She murmured something about having to tidy up but Sara insisted and ten minutes later, the two women were seated on a bench by the cove, watching the ducklings swim by.

They were making small talk about their jobs when Sara finally decided it was time to take the bull by the horn.

'That looks pretty nasty' she finally said, pointing to Beth's mouth. 'Do you want to tell me what _really_ happened?'

'I told you…' the woman said, her voice quiet. 'I walked right into the door jamb on my way to the bathroom.'

'Beth…' Sara said, uncertain how to challenge her.

Neal was right. She would gladly do anything she could to help the woman but she wasn't a social worker and she had no right to pry. Nevertheless, she tried again.

'You can tell me…' she began, leaning in. '…if you want to.'

The woman stared ahead as a couple in a canoe paddled by. 'You don't understand…'

'Then why don't you explain it to me. I'll just listen. No judgement.'

As soon as the words slipped out, she regretted saying them. Of course there would be judgement. If her suspicions were correct, how could she not pass judgement on a brute who would do this to his wife.

'Brett is really high strung and he's been stressed lately' Beth began slowly. 'He blows up easily.'

Sara nodded, biting her tongue.

'Sometimes he loses his temper and he lashes out. I've learned to live with it.'

'Why?'

The woman looked up, her eyes questioning.

'Why do you live with it?'

Beth sighed and looked away, embarrassed. 'You said no judgement' she shot back.

'You're right, no judgement' Sara agreed. She took a deep breath. 'But you haven't done anything wrong Beth and nobody has the right to physically abuse someone, no matter the situation.'

There was silence as a couple walked by and said hello in greeting. Nearby the birds sang, oblivious to the situation.

'Is there something I can do to help? We could get you checked out… if you want, I could go with you to the police… put in a complaint.'

The response was sudden and definitive. 'NO!' Beth cried out. 'No police!'

WCWCWC

Peter made it home by six; just enough time to change and have a bite to eat before the big game against the Devils. Commuting back to White Plains and parking in the Caffreys' laneway felt surreal. Kids were out riding their bikes, one of the neighbours was setting up a water sprinkler on his front lawn while a couple of women stood chatting at the end of a driveway. Living in the burbs, albeit temporarily, was a totally foreign experience.

The sound of the television droned on as he walked in, the smell of spices hitting his nostrils.

'I'm home' he called out as he put down his briefcase by the door and headed to the kitchen.

Liam sat transfixed in front of the tube while Hope was at the kitchen table doing homework. She was already wearing her soccer uniform, ready to go.

'Hey pumpkin' Peter said as he placed a kiss on her forehead. She glanced up at him with a loving smile while Satchmo followed suit, licking his hand. Domesticity at its best.

'Hey hon' he said as he walked over to where Elizabeth stood, putting the finishing touches on dinner. 'Sorry your day got messed up' he added as he kissed her cheek.

She gave him a shrug. 'That's okay, I'll get you to do the pick up tomorrow night.'

He made his way over to the table and slipped out of his suit jacket, hanging it on the back of a chair. Hope watched as he removed his holster, placing it next to his jacket. He removed his firearm and proceeded to empty it, setting the magazine clip on the table.

It wasn't lost on Peter that Hope was staring, seemingly mesmerized at the sight of the gun.

'Can I touch it?' she asked.

He glanced in his wife's direction, unsure how to react. Children and firearms were a deadly combination but it was important to talk to them honestly and openly about gun safety. Hope was a bright, curious little girl and she would manage to find out what she wanted to know. Better to have her explore safely, under his watchful eye.

'Hope, guns are not toys' he said sombrely, taking the seat next to her.

'I know' she said.

'I'm sitting here next to you and the gun isn't loaded so it's safe to touch it. But you have to promise me, you'll never touch a gun without having a grownup with you.'

'Okay' she said, staring down at his hands. 'My mom has a gun for her job but she keeps it locked up at work because Daddy doesn't want it in the house.'

Peter knew all about Neal's aversion to firearms. He pointed to the magazine clip lying on the table. 'This is what's called a magazine clip. That's where the bullets are so I'm going to put them away in a different place than the empty gun. That's the law.'

Her eyes grew as he took the gun in his hands. 'There are no bullets in it right now so it's safe to handle but you can never tell if a gun is loaded just by looking at it so you never, ever, ever touch a gun without me sitting next to you. Do you hear me?'

She nodded. He placed the gun in her hand and her eyes grew wide at the weight of it.

'It's so heavy' she declared, balancing it in her hand.

El stood by the stove, watching the interaction between Peter and their goddaughter.

'What's that?'

'That's called the trigger' he replied. 'You pull it back to fire the gun.'

'And what about this?' she pointed.

'That's the safety' he explained as he manipulated the gun. 'Now that the safety is on, it won't fire even if it's loaded. But even with the safety on, a gun can be very dangerous. You could accidentally disengage it and the gun would go off.'

'Like this?' Hope asked as she slid the safety back into place.

Peter nodded and took back the gun. 'Do you understand?' he asked.

'Yes… thank you' she said, watching as he walked over to the cupboard, reaching up for highest shelf and placing the gun behind the coffee grinder, out of sight.

He picked up the magazine clip and slipped it in his pocket. 'This I'm going to put away somewhere else but I'm not going to tell anyone where it is. It's safer that way.'

'Okay…'

El turned to face them, a large casserole in her hands. 'All right you two. It's time to eat or we're going to be late for your game.'

Hope began to collect her school things, setting them aside. Liam was on his feet, the hum of the television suddenly silenced.

'Are we eating soon?' he asked.

WCWCWC

Liam was carried in from the car; he'd fallen asleep halfway through the game. Peter had tried to grill him about the sculpture at his uncle Mozzie's place but the little guy had little to add to what he'd already said. In any case, this was more a case of morbid curiosity. The statute of limitations on a theft which had taken place years ago had long expired. Frankly, sometimes Peter just liked to mess with Mozzie, keep him on his toes.

The little man remained an enigma to Peter even after all this time. He'd long ago accepted his presence in Neal's life - Mozzie was now a permanent fixture in all their lives and he'd proven to be a good friend to El over the years.

'Come on Hope' El said, taking her hand. 'I'll put you to bed.'

The foursome climbed up the staircase and parted ways as they prepared to put the children to bed. Elizabeth had laid out Hope's pyjamas ahead of time and waited as she brushed her teeth.

'Can I text my dad and tell him I scored two goals?' she asked as she peeled off her uniform and threw it in the laundry hamper.

El reached into her pocket, retrieving her phone. 'I don't see why not?' she said handing it to her.

_'__I scored 2 goals and one was with my left foot'_ she typed, her tongue sticking out in an effort to concentrate.

She slipped on her pyjamas and climbed into bed, cradling the phone against her. 'At least that man wasn't there' she said.

'What man?'

'I saw this man at my practice on Saturday and he was at my school again today. I was getting a little scared but he wasn't there tonight' she said with a yawn.

El frowned. 'Did he say anything to you?'

Hope shook her head as El covered her with her duvet. She brought her lips to rest on the child's forehead just as the phone vibrated.

_'__That's amazing sweet pea. Mom and I are really proud of you. _❤️_' _

WCWCWC

Neal returned the phone to the bedside table and opened his arms up to his wife.

'She sounds really excited' he said with a grin.

Sara curled up against him and he thought he picked up on a shiver.

'What's the matter babe?'

'I just can't stop thinking about Beth. The things I said… I'm afraid I upset her.'

'It's a hard call. If she doesn't want you involved, there's not a whole lot you can do about it.'

'But Neal, that's ridiculous. How can we stand by and not do anything? It's not right.'

'Honey, we don't know anything about their relationship. You can't report him without her consenting to it. He could retaliate, make her life a lot more difficult.'

'If we saw a child being abused in the middle of a grocery store, we wouldn't hesitate to get involved. Why should this be any different?'

He brought his lips to rest on her forehead. 'Beth isn't a child and for whatever reason, she's not able or ready to walk away from this relationship.'

Sara sighed loudly and he hugged her.

'Babe, there's something else I need to tell you about' he said, reaching for his phone once more.

'Peter called earlier. You know that case I was working on? That undercover job?'

'Yeah…' she said, sitting up.

'He… well, they set him loose pending his trial.'

She waited. There had to be more.

'I didn't tell you but… when we raided his place, he threatened me.'

'What?! What do you mean 'threatened' you?'

'Honey, it happens all the time you know that. The guy was pissed off, said he'd come after me, make my life hell… the usual bullshit.'

'But he doesn't know where you live or that we're on vacation, right?'

'That's true…' Neal said but his tone didn't sound very reassuring. 'These guys… if they want to carry through with their threats… well, they have long arms, you know that.'

'Okay' she said, nodding.

Neal flashed the photograph of Dwight Cornyn and Sara studied his hardened face.

'Just… be a little more aware than usual, all right? Chances are he was just pissed off but… just be on the lookout, okay?'

'Okay' Sara repeated.

Neal didn't do undercover much anymore and now she remembered why. But this time, Peter had been unable to get the goods on the guy through traditional means. Not many had the skills to pass themselves off as a front man — Neal had been perfect to pull off this sting.

Sara sighed. 'Sometimes I forget just how dangerous it can be when you work for Peter. I take for granted that nothing will ever happen to you but… it's not true, is it?'

Neal jostled her and looked her in the eye. 'Look at me. We're not spending what's left of our little getaway worrying about something that's not going to happen.'

'Right' she said with a forced smile.

'Come on' Neal said, settling down on his pillow. 'Let's get some sleep. We've got to be ready early if we want to go whale watching.'

They kissed goodnight and Sara turned over with Neal curling up right behind her. They were both almost instantly asleep.

Until a scream was heard, piercing the blissfully quiet night.

TBC


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

The scream faded instantly and Sara sat up, feeling Neal's arm fall away. He turned to his right, resuming the soft snoring which she'd briefly interrupted.

'Neal!' Sara whispered. 'Did you hear that?'

There was the sound of a grunt followed by even louder snoring.

'Neal!' she repeated.

She got out of bed and tiptoed to their bedroom window, checking for possible explanations. Although her suspicions immediately went to their neighbours, the foliage between the two cottages was thick, completely blocking her view.

'Neal!' she tried a third time.

'What?' he grumbled.

'Did you hear that?'

'You're dreaming…' he murmured before immediately returning to his blissful slumber.

Things had grown quiet but Sara knew for a fact she wasn't dreaming; she'd most definitely heard a scream. Was it Beth? Was he hurting her?

She made her way to the main room, her ears and eyes wide open as she did her best to navigate the darkness. There was no way she wasn't investigating. All of her senses were on high alert as she opened the door and peeked out. She cringed at the creaking sound of the screen door and held it back to keep it from slamming shut as she stepped out onto the front porch of their pastel green bungalow. Once outside, her nostrils were assaulted by the sweet scent of the nearby lilac bush on its last legs and the cloying fragrance of the climbing honeysuckle planted strategically between the cottages.

The moon was out, still almost full but it floated in and out behind the heavy cloud cover making it unreliable as a light source. Instead, she used the tip of her bare toe to guide her, tiptoeing down the front steps of their bungalow as she tried to avoid the tiny pebbles under her bare feet. She made a hard left towards the neighbouring cottage and winced when a dried up branch from the lilac bush snapped back and hit her on the cheek. The sensation took her by surprise and she let out a gasp, instinctively covering her mouth in an effort to remain quiet. Except for her laboured breathing, all she could hear was the repetitive sound of crickets echoing around her and the occasional muffled chirp of bullfrogs coming from the pond nearby.

The scream which had awaked her had reverberated for what seemed like minutes but had now faded away to nothing. She was surprised the guests in surrounding cottages weren't out checking things out. Was it possible she'd dreamt it? She took another tentative step, gingerly bridging the gap between the two cottages and zeroing in on the darkened bedroom window next door. Soft light poured from the lantern at the end of their walkway, the pale glow reflecting off the chrome on the grill of their car and providing just enough light to guide her on her mission.

This was crazy: creeping around in the dark of night, spying on their neighbours. She could get arrested for this… and yet, what she'd learned over the past few days had been enough to heighten her suspicions that the cry she'd heard might be the sign of a potentially dangerous situation. She continued her short trek, quieting her breathing as she arrived underneath the bedroom window. She ran her hand along the bottom ledge of the window frame trying to hoist herself high enough to peek inside. Nothing doing, she couldn't see a thing from that angle so she busied herself feeling around on the ground for something sturdy to climb onto. The large rock she found was about a foot to the left of the window but nonetheless, she climbed on, leaning as far as she could to her right and feeling her neck straining with effort.

The checkered pale yellow curtains billowed in the soft summer breeze affording her a partial view of what was behind them; definitely the bedroom. She noticed a faint light coming from an adjacent room inside the small cottage - perhaps the bathroom? She leaned in, holding her breath. That was definitely the sound of muffled sobs followed by intermittent periods of silence. She hung onto the window ledge with the tips of her fingers and felt one of her manicured nails snap off. She bit her tongue to keep from cursing; dammit, she'd just had that manicure done the day before. There was the soft rustle of dry leaves and Sara glanced over her left shoulder, hoping it was nothing more than some benign creature out for a nocturnal stroll - a racoon perhaps. But the quiet rustling grew louder, resembling human footsteps and her whole body froze in anticipation of an imminent attack. She let out a shaky breath just as a hand covered her mouth and she gasped, tumbling off the rock she'd perched herself on and into strong waiting arms.

'Shhh!' came the whisper of a voice in her ear. 'Be quiet.'

WCWCWC

Peter was boiling water for tea by the time Elizabeth came downstairs.

'Liam's sound asleep' he said. 'Poor little guy was all tuckered out. Is Hope coming back down?'

'She's wiped too. Satchmo climbed into bed next to her and I doubt we'll see either one of them until morning.'

She reached up for a couple of mugs, setting them on the kitchen counter, side by side.

'So what do you think?' Peter said, resting his hands on her hips. 'You enjoying our new life in suburbia?'

'It's certainly different from what we're used to.' She pointed to the pile of paperwork on the kitchen counter. 'I'm going to have to delegate some of this stuff to Yvonne. And with Wednesday being a p.d. day, I doubt I'll be getting much more work done.'

Peter slipped his arms around her waist. 'I'm sorry hon.'

She shrugged. 'It's fine. This is what we signed up for. Besides, Neal and Sara deserve a break. Can you believe they live like this every single day. They _never_ get a break.'

Peter popped a teabag in each mug and reached for the kettle. 'Speaking of Neal, I talked to him this morning. He says they're having a great time' he said. 'I wanted him to know about Cornyn.'

'What about Cornyn?'

'Oh, I didn't get a chance to tell you. I found out this morning they released him until his trial. He made some pretty specific threats when we raided his place - all of them directed at Neal. I thought he should know…'

'Really?'

'You know how it is, hon. Most of the time, perps are just angry, they lash out and nothing comes of it… but we can't take any chances.'

Elizabeth picked up her mug and sat at the table, her mind churning. 'Did Hope mention anything to you about seeing a strange man hanging around the soccer field and the school yard. She sounded a little spooked.'

Peter joined her at the table. 'No, she didn't say anything to me. You know, ever since that thing with Keller… she's skittish when it comes to strangers. Neal was telling me that after we raided Cornyn's place last week, Hope was upset. She was afraid someone might try to hurt him.'

'Honey, you don't suppose Cornyn would do something this brazen… hanging around Hope?'

Peter ran his hand through his hair. 'I don't know… I'll talk to her in the morning. See if she can describe the man she saw.'

'Well, don't go getting her all upset and putting ideas in her head.'

'That was weird huh? The thing with the gun' Peter remarked.

She patted his hand. 'I thought you handled it really well. She's pigheaded just like her mom. Better to explain things to her before she goes off looking for answers by herself.'

'Speaking of explaining things. We've been lucky Liam hasn't asked again about the birds and the bees. I'd rather leave that one to Neal.'

He chuckled.

'What?' she asked.

'I had no idea what it was like to deal with kids every single day of your life. I mean, we have them over to our place all the time but… this is different. You've got to be on your toes every minute of every day.'

He brought her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles. He gave her a mischievous smile of his, the one she'd come to know so well.

'You don't suppose Liam will sleep through the night, do you?' he asked.

She pumped her eyebrows. 'Are you ready to take that chance? If he wakes up and finds the bedroom door closed, he might get upset. Or worse yet, he might hit us with that question again.'

Peter sighed. 'Rain check then?'

She leaned in and touched his cheek. 'Rain check.'

WCWCWC

Sara felt herself being lifted off the ground, one arm wrapped tightly around her waist, a hand covering her mouth.

'Let me go' she attempted to say as the hand tightened against her mouth. She kicked her feet, getting a couple of good hits in and was about to take a nice big bite from the hand when she heard the voice again, this time clearly recognizable.

'Sara, cut it out!' an angry Neal whispered.

He threw her up against his hip and carried her the few feet back to their cottage while she continued to kick and swing at him.

'Put me down Caffrey!' she griped, fighting him all the way.

'Stop it!' he said between gritted teeth as she landed another successful hit. With difficulty, he made it to their cottage, opened the door and practically threw her inside. She landed on her feet, her eyes wild with anger.

'What the hell was that?' she shouted.

'That was me trying to keep your sorry ass out of jail.'

She glared at him with such intensity that he took a step back as if she'd pushed him. 'Sara, what do you think you're doing, creeping around other people's bedroom windows.'

'I heard a scream' she countered as if that explained everything.

'You heard a scream? Oh, so your instinct was to go out and start sneaking around like a peeping tom?'

She stared back, momentarily at a loss for words.

'What if that Brett guy had found you snooping around instead of me? What would have happened then? Or what if he'd called the police and they'd found you there… sneaking around like a common thief.'

She pouted. 'I was careful.'

Neal shook his head, frustrated. 'Look, I get it. I know you want to help this woman but —'

She exhaled and let herself fall onto the couch. 'You scared the hell out me Neal.'

'_I_ scared the hell out of _you_? _YOU_ scared the hell out of _me_! How do you think _I _felt? I turn over in the middle of the night and find my wife's gone.'

'I tried to wake you…' she said meekly.

He let himself fall next to her on the couch. 'Well, try harder next time.'

They both grew quiet, trying to catch their breath. Neal leaned forward, letting his head fall into his hands. He took a few deep breaths and sat up, looking at his wife.

With the moonlight pouring in, he noticed the scratch on her cheek and gently ran his thumb over it.

'What did you do to yourself?'

She shrugged and looked away, properly chastised. 'I was attacked by a lilac bush.'

'Sara you can't be doing things like that…' he began. 'Not when I just finished telling you about Cornyn.'

She saw worry in his eyes, mixed in with the anger and she clued into what he was saying. Finding her gone in the middle of the night had led him to a very scary albeit mistaken conclusion.

She lay her hand on his arm. 'You thought…'

He shook his head. 'I don't know what I thought. I get a call from Peter telling me this guy's on the loose and I wake up and find you gone.'

Her face softened and she reached for his hand. It was cool and clammy. 'I didn't mean for you to worry.'

He exhaled and grabbed her by the neck, pulling her in against him. 'Just… just don't do that again, all right?'

His voice was shaky and where one minute ago she'd been livid with him for acting like a caveman, now she felt badly for having put the fear of god in him.

'I'm sorry' she whispered soothingly in his ear.

They held each other for a few minutes, their heart rates returning to normal. When their bodies parted, he looked at her, curiosity getting the best of him.

'So' he said, eyes sparkling. 'did you find out anything?'

WCWCWC

Turned out Liam _did _sleep through the night for the first time since his mom and dad had 'abandoned' him. At seven in the morning, he followed Peter and Elizabeth's voices into his parents' room. Once he realized they had spotted him, he slowed the pace and pretended to limp, complaining about his knee. Seems he hadn't yet perfected his father's inherent ability to successfully con those around him.

He hoisted himself on the bed and gave his aunt a hug. 'Auntie El, my knee hurts.'

When she didn't respond, he pursued. 'Do I still have to go to school today?'

El and Peter exchanged knowing glances. 'Well, why don't you see how you feel after breakfast' she said. 'Tomorrow is Nathan's birthday party, it would be a shame if you had to miss it because of your knee.'

Liam jumped off the mattress and bent and straightened his leg, testing it. 'I think it's better now.'

Hopefully for all concerned, this would be a 'normal' weekday: the kids at school, Peter at work, El making some headway with the Mansour wedding and they could all come together at the end of the day for a nice quiet evening at home.

Over in Kennebunkport, Neal and Sara rose early despite their interrupted night's sleep. They'd been looking forward to their whale watching excursion on the open seas. The last time they'd visited, their experience had been less than ideal. They'd headed out on a foggy day with umbrellas and raincoats only to find the whales just weren't coming out to play. This time around, it promised to be a gorgeous sunny day and by nine o'clock, they were standing on the pier waiting along with eighty or so other passengers - all but one, strangers.

'Honey look, it's Beth' Sara said, pointing up ahead.

She glanced around, looking for the woman's worst half but he was nowhere in sight. The young woman stood alone, holding her ticket and awaiting boarding.

'She's alone!' Sara added as she took a step in the woman's direction.

She felt Neal's hand on her, trying to hold her back. 'Babe…' he murmured in warning.

'What? We're not leaving her alone, are we?'

Neal hesitated but he knew his goose was cooked. Once his wife decided she was doing something, there was no way to stop her. He followed her reluctantly to the front of the line.

'Beth!' Sara called out.

As she approached, she examined the woman's face searching for signs of additional damage since the last time she'd seen her. None was evident but then again, there were lots of places on a body where bruises and welts could be hidden and abusers were experts on the subject.

Beth's eyes brightened momentarily then dimmed again, making it impossible to know what she was really thinking.

'Are you alone?'

Beth glanced away, seemingly embarrassed. 'Brett had a meeting this morning' she replied as Neal caught up with them.

Sara laced her arm in his and pulled him towards Beth. 'Honey, this is Beth our next door neighbour. Beth, I don't think you've met my husband Neal.'

Beth smiled shyly. 'I think I've seen you around the cottage. Nice to meet you.'

'Same' he replied with a nod.

'So, you're on your own. You should hang with us today' Sara said with a warm smile. 'Right babe?'

Neal nodded although uncertain of the wisdom of her suggestion. 'Of course' he said with his conman smile.

He knew that the more Sara got to know this woman, the more she would want to help and the more she'd become involved in her troubles. Sara didn't suffer fools gladly and if she had five minutes alone with this Brett dude, Neal had no doubt she would come out on top, especially if she had her trusty baton nearby. One thing about his wife: she had long ago decided not to be a victim and she had trouble understanding why every woman she met couldn't be as strong and determined as she was.

'Make certain you have your tickets in hand' came a disembodied male voice from the front to the line.

Beth waved her ticket while Neal searched his pockets for theirs. He looked over at his wife, a look of concern, a look of admonishment, a look that told her not to get in too deep.

But Sara chose to ignore him.

WCWCWC

Tuesday morning in the Caffrey home began calm and orderly. Everybody was finally settling into the new routine. Liam seemed happy enough and didn't complain about going to school, his mind focussed on his friend Nathan's birthday party the next day. Hope was excited about her upcoming day off school, a day she would be spending over at Olivia Mason's place. The two girls had planned an exciting new adventure although Hope was smart enough to anticipate there might be fallout from what they'd been plotting for the past week. One thing she'd learned from watching her dad with her mom: it was always better to beg for forgiveness than to ask permission.

Peter drove the kids to school and called his wife halfway through the morning with the results of his little investigation into Hope's sightings.

'If you can pick Liam up, I told Hope I'd bring her into the office to look at some mug shots after school' Peter told his wife over the phone.

'Okay… but are you sure this won't just upset her even more?'

'Honey, if by some chance Cornyn _is_ out there following her around, we need to act on it. Right away.'

'I suppose but… if he was going to do something, don't you think he would have done it by now?'

'I've seen criminals stew for a long time. Look at Matthew Keller, he's never really gotten over the fact Neal made something of his life and I'm sure he's still plotting revenge all these years later. These guys… who knows how their minds work. Try not to worry, this thing with Hope, it might have nothing to do with Cornyn. She's been a bit high strung with Neal and Sara away… maybe she just saw some random man she didn't recognize, a new father at the school, some harmless stranger. But if it is him or one of his henchmen…'

Elizabeth nodded. 'All right… here's a thought. Why don't Liam and I meet you afterwards for dinner at that Thai place by your office? Make an evening of it. They don't have school tomorrow so it's no big deal if they get to bed a little later.'

'Great idea honey!' Peter said. 'We'll meet you there at six.'

WCWCWC

Despite the warm day, the large boat had taken on enough speed to cause a soothing wind to rise from the water. The shore gradually began to disappear as the group of whale watchers ventured into the deep waters populated by whales, dolphins and seals. The trio had been making small talk since they'd left the harbour and for the past five minutes, Neal had been feeling increasing tension radiating off his wife. She was ratcheting up into investigation mode, of that he was sure.

He wasn't surprised when she glanced in his direction and gave him a none too subtle head nod towards the galley, set up at the other end of the boat.

'Honey, would you mind getting us something to drink?' she asked - a horribly transparent pretext so she and Beth could be left alone. There was no way Beth was going to open up to her in front of Neal. Maybe if they could have a few minutes alone, the woman would offer more details about her situation, details that could help Sara come up with a solution to the woman's dilemma.

'Sure' he said, communicating his hesitation with his ice cold blue eyes. 'Coffee for both of you?'

'Thanks. That'd be great' Beth said in reply.

Neal gave his wife one last warning glare and she could read all the apprehension in his gaze. She turned away from him, choosing to ignore him once more.

'Did you hear that scream last night?' Sara opened with once they were alone. Who knew how long she had before Neal returned?

'Scream?' Beth repeated looking away. 'No.'

'I thought it might be you, that you were in some kind of trouble.'

Beth just shook her head and kept looking out to sea.

'Beth' Sara said, forcing the woman to look at her.

The woman glanced around, noticing they were out of earshot of everyone around them. 'Look Sara, I really appreciate what you're trying to do here but… I'm not some weak, defenceless woman…'

Sara reached out, touching her arm. 'I never said you were Beth. I'm just trying to understand what's going on, why you stay with your husband if he treats you so badly.'

Beth's eyes grew dark. 'Have you ever been in love with someone who treats you badly?' she asked. 'Your husband… he seems like a nice guy. What if he got angry one day and hit you. Would you stop loving him?'

Sara stared in silence.

'I'll bet you'd give him another chance if he begged for forgiveness, wouldn't you? Look, I have no interest in the whole world knowing what goes on in my marriage. It's… it's humiliating. I know Brett wants to change and he's working at it. But regardless' she continued, lowering her voice. 'I have a plan.'

Sara felt her frustration mounting. 'Does that plan include getting that shiner that's visible through your pancake make up or that split lip of yours?'

She saw a flash of anger in Beth's eyes and immediately regretted what she'd said.

'I'm sorry… I'm sorry' she began.

'You have no idea Sara. Besides, no one would believe me… I've tried.'

'What do you mean? You've reported him to the police?'

Beth laughed, a cold, bitter laugh.

'How can you be so naive Sara? Brett _is_ the police.'

TBC


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Spending time alone with her uncle Peter was always a treat for ten-year-old Hope Ellis-Caffrey. Ever since she was a baby, the two of them had spent practically every Saturday afternoon together, an unlikely yet solid and steadfast alliance. Over the years, he'd introduced her to sausage pizza, taught her how to catch a ball, how to plant azaleas, how to build a birdhouse and now, he'd schooled her in the rudimentary facts about guns.

From the moment he'd set eyes on her, Special Agent Peter Burke, who could never be described as a kid friendly kind of guy, had fallen in love with his goddaughter. And he'd fallen hard. Those around him, notably his wife and best friend had been surprised at how easily he'd taken to his new role as godfather, talking gibberish to her when she was a newborn, building castles in the backyard sandbox he'd constructed for her, sitting through dozens of Disney flicks at the local mall and more recently, letting her in on his secret, patented moves at the bowling alley.

But teaching her all about mug shots was a first.

She clung to his hand as the two of them rode up the elevator to the twenty-first floor of the Federal Building. He'd sensed her apprehension from the moment he'd picked her up at school. Not that this was an unfamiliar environment for her - she'd been to the White Collar offices countless times before. She and her dad had visited almost weekly in the early years when Neal was a stay-at-home dad. As a matter of fact, everyone in the building from the cleaners to the clerical staff to the agents knew her by sight if not by name. But this time was different; her uncle Peter had given her an all-important task to carry out and she was intent on not messing it up.

During math, she'd scribbled a few notes in the palm of her hand - details of what she remembered about the man she'd now seen twice. What if she messed up, picked the wrong guy? And why couldn't she remember where she'd seen him before that day on the soccer field?

'You know pumpkin' Peter said, breaking the silence as they passed the fifteenth floor. 'There's no pressure here. If you don't recognize him, it's all right.'

She nodded and looked up at him with her big blue eyes.

'Don't just tell me what you think I want to hear. I need you to be honest.'

'Okay' she said, her voice quiet.

The elevator stopped and Diana stood on the other side of the doors, waiting for them.

'Hey Hope!' she called out. 'How are you doing?'

Hope nodded but remained quiet. Peter felt her small hand squeezing his.

'I just picked up a drink for you. How about some juice or pop before we start?' Diana asked holding up a juice box and a can of Sprite.

'No thank you' Hope replied as the three of them stepped into the offices and made their way to the stairs leading to the conference room.

Clinton Jones was already seated inside, another comforting and familiar face. They'd just stepped into the room when Peter stopped suddenly and crouched down, coming face to face with his goddaughter. She suddenly looked so young and innocent, her wavy dark curls cascading down her shoulders.

'You sure you're okay pumpkin?' he asked.

She nodded and followed Diana to the head of the table where she noticed that the chair had been jacked up to its maximum height.

'How about you sit here?' Diana suggested.

Hope climbed up but even with maximum height, her shoulders barely cleared the top of the glass table. She got up on her knees and sat back on her feet, as everyone else took a seat.

A man she didn't know walked in carrying a large sketch pad and everyone greeted him.

'Thanks for coming Colin' Peter said. 'This is our witness, Hope.'

Hope looked up shyly and smiled. As long as her uncle Peter was nearby, she could do this.

'Colin is a sketch artist' Peter explained. 'If you see a face that kind of looks like the man you saw, he can make some changes to the sketch.'

'Like on those TV shows?'

'Just like that, he can add glasses or make his hair longer… whatever we need.'

'He had a ball cap' Hope reminded her uncle.

'He can do that too.'

Now that every one was settled, Diana opened a file folder which contained ten or so mug shots. The sketch artist pulled out an identical number of sketches of the same faces. Peter had stuck to a manageable number of suspects and he'd refrained from asking Hope for too many details for fear of leading her on. Too many mug shots and she might be overwhelmed, too few and any identification would be less than reliable. Diana began to spread the photographs on the table in front of Hope as the child pushed up off her feet, kneeling on her chair. Peter's eyes landed on Cornyn's face staring back at him and he felt anger blooming in the pit of his stomach. He turned his gaze back to Hope, noticing her tongue darting in and out in concentration as she began to survey the photographs.

'The first thing we're going to do is to eliminate the ones that don't look at all like him' he explained. 'Don't examine the faces too much for now, just point out the ones you're sure are _not _the man you saw.'

Hope took a deep breath. 'He had white skin' she said immediately.

'Okay. Point to the ones you want us to take off the table, those you're certain are not him. Just be really sure and remember, people can change their hair or grow a beard but they can't change something like a scar or the colour of their skin.'

Hope nodded and began to point. On the first round, she eliminated three suspects which Jones removed from the group and set aside. Dwight Cornyn and his two sidekicks remained on the table, staring defiantly at Peter, making his skin crawl.

'So far you're sure?' Peter asked.

'Yes' she said, her confidence growing.

Diana rearranged the remaining photographs and Hope leaned in. 'This one is too fat' she said decisively as another mug shot was eliminated.

'And that one…' she said pointing to a bald headed man. 'He had a ball cap but he had hair.'

'Okay' Peter said, nodding. 'You're doing great honey.'

So far, the three most likely culprits still remained on the table. Hope took the time to smile at Peter and suddenly her eyes lit up. 'I remember!' she shouted suddenly.

'You remember what?'

'Remember how I said I thought I'd seen him before. I remember where I saw him. He was one of the men that came out in handcuffs on the day you and Daddy took me and Liam with you.'

Peter sighed and smiled. 'You're absolutely sure?'

'Yes, I remember. He looked over at the car and smiled at Daddy. He scared me.'

Peter gave Diana a nod and she proceeded to remove all but the three mugshots from that day: Cornyn himself and his two cronies.

Hope gasped and Peter moved his chair closer, putting his arm around her shoulder.

'You're amazing' he murmured. 'Now don't be scared. The faster we know who he is, the faster we can stop him from following you around and we can put him back in prison.'

Hope's eyes swept over the three remaining photographs, squinting as if trying to imagine the man with a ball cap and sunglasses.

'Not him' she declared with certainty as she pointed to one of the photographs. 'He didn't have a big scar like that on his cheek.'

They were down to two and although the faces were different, they both had similar features. Dwight Cornyn's ugly mug kept staring up at Peter, mocking him, making his blood boil. If he _was_ behind terrorizing Neal's kids, Peter would make it his life's mission to lock him up for a very long time.

Hope's lips quivered. 'I don't know' she said, her voice shaky.

'That's okay' Peter said soothingly. He gave a head nod in the direction of Colin, the sketch artist.

'Tell you what' he continued. 'We'll try one more thing. You tell me exactly how he looked and Colin here will adjust the two sketches he made.'

Hope looked up and Peter noticed tears in her eyes. She nodded hesitantly.

'So let's start at the beginning. When you saw him at the soccer field, did you notice how tall he was? Was he… like me or more like uncle Mozzie?'

'Like you' she said immediately. Diana glanced down at the file with the physical description of the two men. Cornyn was six feet tall, his henchman significantly shorter.

'Now tell me about the hat' Peter said, remaining calm.

'It was a ball cap. I didn't notice what was written on the front but it was red… and he had sunglasses, sort of like the ones Daddy has that you can see yourself in.'

The sketch artist began to fiddle with his pencil, following the description.

'And he had a beard, some of it was grey. He had a little bit of gold on his tooth when he smiled at me. But I didn't see that the first time… when we were in the car.'

Peter nodded in encouragement. Although not evident from the mugshot, that would be easy enough to check.

The artist worked away, finishing up the first of the sketches then repeating Hope's description of details on the other. He handed them both to Peter who stared down at them for a moment.

'Now honey, listen to me. If you're not sure, that's fine. But you have to be really really sure if you pick one of them out, do you understand? Either way, you've helped us a lot but it won't be helpful if you point out the wrong guy just because you're trying too hard to help.'

'All right' she said with a nod.

Peter smiled, making sure he made eye contact then placed the two sketches on the table side by side.

Hope's eyes widened. 'That's him!' she cried out.

WCWCWC

'What? You mean your husband is a police officer?'

Beth just stared blankly at Sara.

'But you said he was looking into buying a garage and that's why you were here.'

'That's his hobby, bikes and cars. He owns a place back in Montpelier. Sees it as an investment for his old age. He's a cop, has been for over ten years.'

Sara stood gobsmacked. She spotted Neal leaning over the railing at the other end of the boat, sipping coffee, apparently waiting for her to signal that it was safe to return.

'So… you've reported him before?'

Beth sighed. A gush of wind rose off the water, causing her blond hair to blow across her face.

'It's true what they say about the police' she said, staring out at the ocean. 'They're a brotherhood, they stick together.'

'I'm so sorry… I had no idea.'

After a moment, she spoke again. 'What about if you reported him here, away from his buddies.'

'You know for a smart woman, you're pretty naive. If I called the police here, he'd flash his badge, give them a song and dance about me making things up and they'd be on their way, faster that you can say battered wife.'

'You're not saying all cops will cover for this kind of thing are you?'

'Of course not. It only takes one or two corrupt ones… the file gets misplaced or magically disappears.'

'You said you had a plan?'

'I do' she said, growing tearful. 'But it takes time. I've been saving up for almost six months. Believe me, Brett won't let me leave, he'll come after me. When the time comes, I'll have one kick at the can. If I blow it, it's game over and I'll never be rid of him. In the meantime, I'm still hoping he'll come around and make some changes so I don't have to go.'

Sara looked down the length of the boat, her face pale. Even from that distance, Neal could tell she was upset. The time had come to intervene. He disappeared momentarily and reappeared carrying two fresh cups of coffee as he walked towards them.

'Ladies' he said, handing over the beverages.

Sara was still looking like death warmed over. Beth, meanwhile, prompted by the sound of oohs, glanced out at the two whales which had appeared a few feet away.

Neal could tell that whatever had transpired between them had really upset his wife. 'Honey…' he said as he lay his hand on her back. 'Can I talk to you over here for a minute?'

Beth leaned over the side of the boat, seemingly charmed by the spectacle out at sea while Neal dragged Sara a few feet away.

'What?' he asked as she looked up at him, her face ashen. 'What is it?'

'Oh Neal' she replied her voice shaky. 'It's so much worse than I thought.'

WCWCWC

Peter had requested a BOLO for Dwight Cornyn in the hopes of bringing him in for questioning. He'd enlisted the NYPD's help and as he and his temporary family sat sipping Tom Yum soup and nibbling on chicken satay, half the police force was on the lookout for the man.

'This is good!' Liam said as he took another bite of chicken.

Seemed he'd forgotten all about his little playground mishap the previous day. He was in the best mood he'd been in since Neal and Sara left. Hope on the other hand, appeared sullen, worried.

Peter pushed her plate a little closer to her, urging her to take a bite. He leaned in to speak in her ear.

'Honey, you did a great job. Don't worry, we'll find him.'

She forced a smile and sighed loudly as Peter glanced at his wife.

'So what have you guys got planned for your day off school tomorrow' he said louder.

'Oh, I didn't tell you' El piped up. 'Mozzie called and asked if Liam wants to go to the park tomorrow morning.'

'Then it's Nathan's birthday party!' Liam reminded everyone.

'What about you Hope?' Elizabeth asked. 'Would you like to invite Olivia over?'

Hope looked up, a furtive look in her eyes. 'Olivia already invited me over. Her mom said I could stay all day if I wanted to.'

El smiled. Seems she might be getting some of that wedding planning done after all.

Peter's mind wandered as he glanced around the restaurant. Cornyn could be just about anywhere. They'd already searched his home and his club and he was nowhere in sight. He thought of Neal and Sara, wondering if he should come clean to them about the fact that Cornyn had been spotted hanging around the kids' school. The Caffreys still had two days left on their holiday and it seemed unnecessary to disrupt their little getaway. If he called them, they might decide to cut things short and come home early when there was really nothing more they could do. With half the police force out looking for the man, it was just a question of time before they found him.

Right? Riiiiight!

WCWCWC

'I can't believe a cop would do something like that' Sara murmured as she and Neal curled up on the swing just outside their little cottage.

It was a beautiful moonlit night, a soft breeze whispering in the quiet night air. Neal drew her close and she rested her head on his shoulder. Sara was a woman of the world, no airhead by any means and for that reason, he'd been surprised by her intense reaction to the events of the last few days. Coming face to face with domestic abuse had really thrown her for a loop and since meeting Beth, she'd been unsuccessfully trying to wrap her mind around the dynamics of such a relationship. Beth was a smart, articulate woman, seemingly confident and by all appearances, successful. Why would such a person remain in an unhealthy marriage and more importantly, what could possibly motivate a person to physically or emotionally abuse someone they claimed to love?

Ever since they'd returned from their day out at sea, Sara had been upset about the situation. Like Neal, she had a tendency to want to fix things that were out of whack and this… this was seriously out of whack. Sadly, it appeared it was well beyond her field of expertise as well.

Beth's husband had been waiting for her when they'd stepped off the boat and he'd whisked her off to parts unknown. Despite a massage and a lovely dinner out with Neal, Sara had remained unable to shake off the unease. It was going on ten o'clock, and still no lights on at the cottage next door.

'Honey, men who abuse their partners come from all walks of life, teachers, politicians, businessmen, you know that. Why wouldn't some of them be cops?'

'Because they're in a position of authority… I guess I always assumed there was a higher standard for people in law enforcement' she said, sounding defeated.

He scoffed. 'Male cops are just that, babe. They're men. Men who have the same foibles as any man doing any job.'

She sensed the frustration in his voice. Neal's idea of resolving a conflict had always involved using his superior verbal skills and quick wit. He had no time for the jerks who used their fists to dominate a situation, especially where women were concerned.

'You know as well as I do that law enforcement attracts more than its fair share of yahoos, macho shit heads who like to parade around with their guns strapped to their puffed out chest and their nightsticks dangling like over endowed dicks.'

Once again, she was taken aback by the intensity of his tone. Neal Caffrey had always been a charmer, not a fighter.

In her job, Sara had come across plenty of insecure jerks who abused their power to try to put women in their place. She hadn't gotten where she was in the male dominated world of insurance recovery without facing off with more than a few of those idiots. But coming face to face with a victim of abuse was something else altogether and she'd grown frustrated at not being able to make a difference.

'I know you find it hard to understand how someone could get caught up in a situation like that but… it could happen to anyone. Remember Ella Robinson?' Neal said, leaning in.

'From the Bureau?'

He nodded. 'She was in an abusive relationship with her boyfriend for almost two years. She'd come into the office with a cut or a bruise and some vague explanation for how she got it. The next thing we knew, there'd be a flower delivery. Peter tried to talk her into leaving him more than once but she kept saying he was going to change and that she loved him.'

'But she's an agent, smart and gorgeous too.'

'That's what I'm saying. It's complicated.'

'That's what Beth said. She asked me what I'd do if you ever got angry at me and lashed out - if I'd give you another chance?'

He sighed loudly. 'What did you say?'

'I didn't. But it got me thinking…'

Neal placed a kiss on the top of her head. 'Men who abuse women have a warped view of the world. Maybe they were raised in an abusive home or been abused themselves, or maybe they're scared of losing control of the relationship. Some of them have this fucked up notion that that's how marriage is supposed to be or they're insecure and feel it's the only way they can feel like a man. A lot of them want to change but they don't know how. Like I said, it's complicated.'

A harmony of crickets was heard in the quiet of the night as Sara grew thoughtful.

'I can see wanting to give you another chance if you ever did something like that. But I'd fight back.'

Neal chuckled softly. 'I don't doubt it.'

'She says she has a plan. He keeps saying he's going to change but…'

'What kind of plan?'

'She's afraid that if she runs, he or one of his buddies will come after her so she's saving up to get away… far away from here.'

The sound of a car engine grew louder and headlights appeared as Brett's truck pulled into its parking spot. Neal and Sara grew quiet, watching silently as the couple got out and made their way up the path towards their temporary home.

'So you had a good time tonight baby?' they heard Brett say.

'It was nice honey, really nice' Beth's voice replied.

Through the foliage, they could see the couple join hands and head up the few steps to the cottage. Sara slipped her arm around Neal's waist and tugged, feeling his strong, reassuring body against hers.

It was indeed complicated.

She suddenly felt exhausted and terribly inadequate. There was pain and heartache all around yet she was safe in the arms of the most amazing man she'd ever met. Her throat grew tight at the thought. They heard the door to the cottage next door close, heard the lock engage.

Neal looked down at his wife, gave her a gentle smile. He leaned in, his lips against her ear.

'Sweetheart…' he whispered. Her breath hitched at the sound of his mellow voice. 'How about we shut out the world for a while and go to bed?'

She closed her eyes, felt them slightly moist under her lashes. She returned his smile and silently nodded.

TBC


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

'Are you sure about this?' Hope asked with a frown.

Olivia held up the box and read. 'Yeah, it says 'pour contents of bottle one into bottle two and shake vigorously'.'

'But it isn't even blonde' Hope commented as she studied the sand coloured contents of the plastic bottle.

'Maybe it just turns blonde when you get it on your hair.'

'You girls all right up there?' came Donna Mason's voice. 'Are you getting hungry for lunch?'

The two girls stared at each other, eyes the size of saucers. Maybe it was best to wait until they'd eaten before they finalized things. It was one thing to surreptitiously slip out of the house with a baseball cap on her head but to have to sit there in front of Olivia's mom while Donna examined her covered head might trigger a series of events Hope knew could only end with recriminations.

She was no fool. She knew that the minute her aunt Elizabeth - and eventually her parents - got a good look at her, there would be consequences. She didn't care. It was _her _hair and if she wanted to be blonde instead of boring old dark brown, it was her choice. Anyway, her mom coloured her hair all the time so she would be hard pressed to reprimand her daughter for doing the same.

'How about grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup?' Donna shouted from downstairs.

'Sounds great mom' came the reply.

'Look! There are stains in the sink. We better clean that up' Hope said, reaching for a towel.

'No, no not that one. That one's for guests' Olivia said, grabbing the towel from Hope's hand.

_'__I'm _a guest' Hope said with a giggle. Olivia joined in, shushing her friend as she chuckled.

'This is going to be so cool' she said picking up the second box. _Red Hot Red_ it read. 'I've always wanted to be a redhead. Now I can have hair just like your mom's.'

'This is the best idea we've ever had' Hope said as she began scrubbing the sink with a rag. 'We'll be like movie stars… Oh, I know, I can be Taylor Swift and you can be…'

'Bella Thorne' Olivia said with stars in her eyes.

'Oh yeah, I like her.'

Hope batted her eyelashes. 'Teen Choice Awards, here we come.'

WCWCWC

Neal came out of the cottage looking like a man on a mission. He slipped his wallet into his back pocket and hesitated for a moment before returning inside and reappearing shortly after. Sara watched the spectacle from their patio, sipping on a glass of wine - even though it was barely noon.

She was feeling much better this morning, a lot more relaxed. Her calm demeanour was due almost entirely to the massive amounts of TLC she'd gotten from Neal the night before. He'd begun by giving her a full body massage, working her shoulders and back which had been particularly tight before moving on to her scalp which he'd kneaded vigorously as her head rested on his lap.

Pure heaven.

He'd followed that up with soft kisses to her now boneless body - no tongue, no teeth, no urgency like the night of their lascivious make out session. Just soft full lips on every single inch of her body, leaving her purring. The intimate physical contact had led to a languorous lovemaking session - nothing but sweet, gentle touches and tender words of devotion murmured under the darkness of night. As much as she'd enjoyed their wild and crazy night of passion, his delicate attention to her agitated mind and weary body had left her feeling appeased and worshipped in a way only Neal Caffrey could accomplish. Afterwards, to her surprise, she'd cried and he'd held her, rocking her to sleep, knowing there was nothing more he could do but be there for her. He'd learned a while back that even strong, no-nonsense Sara Ellis had her limits and recent events had left her unable to keep things bottled up any longer.

'Where are you off to?' she asked, putting down her book and looking up at him.

He leaned down, bringing his face to hers and kissing the tip of her nose. 'Somebody seems to have forgotten the date today' he murmured, his voice deep and rich.

She frowned before doing some mental calculations and coming up with the date: June 14th.

'I need to run a couple of errands so don't go anywhere' he said, standing. 'And don't overdo that' he added, pointing to her glass of wine. 'I have a few surprises for you and want you fully functional so you can enjoy them.'

She sighed and felt a smile creep onto her face. 'Okay' she said coyly. 'Hurry back.'

She watched him stroll on over to the car, his tight little bubble butt and that swagger in his step. She sighed loudly.

'Caffrey!' she called out as he reached the car. He turned to face her, looking mighty smug.

'Happy anniversary!'

WCWCWC

Mozzie and Liam returned from the park just as Elizabeth was setting the table for lunch. She'd gotten more work done in the past few hours than she'd managed to get done all week. Wednesday already and in another couple of days she and Peter would load Satchmo into the car and head on back to Brooklyn to resume their lives. She sighed at the thought. Despite the ups and downs, it had been fun playing happy families in the burbs. Now that Liam had settled and everyone had found their groove, she was enjoying their little adventure.

'You better have something for us to eat' Mozzie called out from the front door. 'We're starving, right pal?'

Liam appeared. 'Starved' he repeated as he looked around at what was on offer.

'Well, I made you guys some sandwiches and fresh baked chocolate chip cookies.'

'Yay!' Liam cried out as he pulled out a chair and prepared to take a seat.

'Go wash your hands first buddy' El said as she ruffled his hair.

He grumbled but complied, disappearing momentarily.

'So? No sign of anything unusual at the park?' she asked Mozzie once they were alone.

'Nope, watched him like a hawk the whole time and didn't see anybody lurking around.'

She nodded. 'Good job Moz. I'll be breathing a lot easier when they catch this guy.'

'Tuna melt?' he commented as he surveyed what El was preparing. He spotted a half-empty bottle of red on the counter and poured himself a glass.

She rolled her eyes. 'Don't worry, I made a dairy free version for you. Did you take that thing off him?'

Liam reappeared, reaching down to scratch his ankle. 'This is itchy. Can I take it off now?' he asked.

'No' Mozzie replied. 'But I can. Come here.'

Elizabeth grinned as she watched Mozzie reach down and unlock the monitoring anklet he'd attached to his godson's leg - a mini version of the one his dad had worn all those years ago.

'Is this like the one my dad used to wear?' he asked, examining the gizmo.

'Almost, but I put this on you to ensure your safety. In your dad's case, it was attached with malicious intent in an effort to crush his spirit and keep him under the heavy boot of the nefarious criminal justice system.'

Liam stared back, his mouth open. 'What?' he said.

WCWCWC

Peter had that look on his face. The look he got whenever things weren't going his way and he was none too pleased about it.

'Where the hell is he hiding out Diana? What is it we're missing?'

She shrugged. 'We've checked all his usual haunts. Nothing.'

'I'm getting a bad feeling about this' he said. 'Maybe I should call Neal again, keep him up to date.'

'What about the kids?'

'Hope is over at her friend's house and I warned the mom to be especially careful. Mozzie's keeping an eye on Liam. He actually made him a miniature anklet to wear while they were at the park.'

Diana chuckled. Leave it to Mozzie to go over the top.

Peter got to his feet. 'Check with NYPD again, will you? See if they've come up with anything.'

'On it' she said as she stepped out.

WCWCWC

It had started as a low hum, a normal restrained discussion between a husband and wife. Sara had noticed the tone growing louder, angrier as time passed and now she was getting increasingly worried about her new friend. She looked around. No sign of Neal yet. He'd been gone almost an hour but she didn't think she should wait any longer before stepping in. She stood, feeling emboldened; there was no way she was letting this escalate into violence again. Not on her watch. Channelling her inner superhero, she began walking towards the sound of voices.

A sharp knock on the door of the neighbouring cottage caused Brett to appear, anger in his eyes.

'Is everything all right?' Sara asked, mustering up as much political correctness as she could considering the situation. What she really wanted to do was smack him right in the kisser, watch him fall and plant a stiletto heel on his chest in victory.

'Fine' he replied brusquely. 'What business is it of yours anyway?'

'I… we can all hear you from out there' Sara began, not giving an inch. 'Beth…' she added, putting out her hand to the woman who was cowering behind him. 'Why don't you come with me… until things calm down a little?'

Brett stared at her, his eyes like daggers. 'Look I don't know who the hell you think you are or where the hell you came from but you need to keep your nose out of things that are none of your goddamn business.'

Sara stared back. She'd been talked to like that too many times before and it didn't scare her one bit. She had no emotional attachment to this jerk, all she cared about was standing up for Beth.

'This _is_ my business' she replied cooly.

He took a couple of predatory steps towards her, landing right at her feet. His eyes didn't waver one bit. He let out a cackle, mean and angry and Sara felt a shiver run down her spine.

'Oh, so you're one of those, huh bitch? One of these feminists who thinks she can stand up to men. What do you weigh? One twenty, one twenty five? I could throw you over my shoulder and walk away with you and you wouldn't be able to do a thing about it.'

Sara stood her ground. 'You don't know who you're messing with buddy' she said with bravado.

For a brief moment, she wished she had her trusty baton with her. Sadly, it was safely stored in her desk back at Sterling Bosch where it belonged. Still, facing up to a bully had more to do with how you handled yourself than how much you weighed or whether or not you had a baton. She kept glaring at him.

'Sara…' came Beth's voice. 'It's fine. I'm fine, I can handle this.'

Sara glanced over the guy's shoulder at Beth's face. There was a multitude of emotions written there: anger, fear, courage, defiance all wrapped into one disconcerted look. The last thing Sara wanted was to make Beth feel incapable of handling herself. But there was so much history between the couple, it was hard to change things midstream. She, on the other hand, was not emotionally involved in the situation and she wasn't putting up with any violence.

'Because Beth has asked me not to call the police, I won't' Sara said, her gaze steady. 'But try touching me and I'll have you arrested and thrown in the slammer so fast it'll make your head spin. I don't care who you are or who your friends are.'

As if her words had been a trigger, he raised his hand and without her having time to react, he grabbed her hair and pulled as he pushed her up against the wall. Sara reacted instinctively, bringing her knee up and narrowly missing her target. The shot to his thigh still packed a punch and he backed off for a second, surprised at her strength.

He was mad now, madder than a hatter.

'Brett, please. Don't do this' Beth pleaded, touching his back.

He reacted, letting his elbow fly. It hit her in the stomach and she crumbled to the floor as Sara watched with trepidation, her heart rate increasing. She hadn't meant to make things worse for her new friend.

Brett grabbed Sara once more, pushing her towards the door. 'Come on bitch, you and I are going for a walk so we can have a little chat.'

Sara glanced over her shoulder. She could use Neal's help right about now. The guy was a solid two hundred pounds, strong as an ox and he had her over his shoulder before she could say anything. So much for using her smart mouth. She was about to use it to her advantage when he produced some duct tape and the next thing she knew she was rendered speechless as he carried her out the door against her will.

The last thing she saw before she was carried off was Beth, still on the floor holding her stomach. Then the door slammed behind her.

WCWCWC

Elizabeth climbed into the car after checking Liam was properly strapped in. He gave her a gratuitous eye roll, letting her know he'd been strapping himself in by himself since he was three and a half years old. Perhaps it would have been more beneficial for her to check out the black rental that was parked up the street by the Murrays' place. Instead, she checked the address she'd jotted down in her phone and mentally planned her itinerary. Liam was excited about this party, had been talking about it all week.

'Now remember, Uncle Peter will be picking you up at four thirty. I'll make sure he knows how to get there.'

The usually high-strung five-year-old had been having a great day, although unbeknownst to him, that was all about to change.

'Auntie Elizabeth, am I allowed to have cake even if it's before dinner?'

'Of course you are sweetie. It's a birthday party and everybody knows you can't have a birthday party without cake.'

He nodded and ran his hand longingly over the gift wrapped box next to him. El swung the car out of the driveway and headed out towards Edgewood Drive, the main artery in the little hamlet. She needed to get Liam to his party and pick up a few groceries before Hope came home from Olivia's. Although the provisions Neal and Sara had left had seemed plentiful, they were depleted after almost five days of meals for four - and assorted guests. She began mentally planning her grocery list; she didn't want Neal and Sara to come home and find the cupboards completely bare.

She glanced in the rear view mirror at Liam's face as he looked out the window, his face filled with anticipation. Once again, it would have served her better to notice the large sedan which had been following her for the past ten minutes.

But she didn't.

WCWCWC

Hope stared at herself in the mirror, her mouth hanging open.

'Oops' she said quietly.

'What?' said Olivia. 'It looks nice.'

Hope lifted a strand of hair, finding a patch of dark curls underneath. 'You missed a spot' she said, pointing.

'Oops' Olivia repeated in the same tone as her best friend. 'I really like mine' she added, jostling for position in front of the bathroom mirror.

Hope gave her a dirty look. 'That's because I did yours right' she moaned.

'It doesn't even show if you comb it towards the front' came the defensive reply.

Hope's breath quivered as her thoughts went to the not so fun part of the long awaited experiment. In the next few minutes, her aunt Elizabeth would be picking her up and she was pretty sure that even a man sized baseball cap like the one she'd taken from her dad's dresser wouldn't be enough to contain the mass of curls which were now… she wasn't sure what colour.

She did her best, pulling up her thick waves and shoving them as far into the cap as possible and pulling the hat down on her forehead.

'There' she said, still in denial. 'Does it show?'

Olivia examined her and frowned, further adjusting the cap. 'Not really.'

That was not the answer she'd been hoping for and Hope worried for a moment she might melt into a puddle of tears.

'I don't look like Taylor Swift at all' she complained. 'And I still can't sing like her either.'

Olivia giggled. 'You didn't think you'd sound like her, did you?' she said as footsteps were heard approaching.

'Shit!' the girls said in harmony.

WCWCWC

Sara had been walking the paths surrounding the property for days now. She and Neal had discovered some well worn paths and some less travelled ones through the woods at the back by the pond. Apparently Brett had done his own recon because he dragged her deep into the wooded area as she kicked and hit him. His body, unlike Neal's, was harder than a brick wall and she began to grow tired while he carried on as if she was merely an annoying fly to contend with. He took a few steps into the more densely treed area leaving the pounded earth behind them. Finally satisfied that they were out of sight, he put her down and jammed her body up against a tree. Sara's eyes were on fire, bright and shiny as she fought tears. There was no way she was showing any weakness in front of this asshole.

'Now that I have your full attention' he said breathlessly. 'Listen up.'

'Do you always stick your nose into things that are none of your business. My marriage is my business and I'm sick and tired of watching you pestering my wife and giving her unsolicited advice.'

Sara stared back, wide eyed.

'I'll bet your husband is pussy whipped, lets you boss him around like the bitch that you are. Well some us are men, real men, king of our castle, master of our domain' he said, pulling out his shield and shoving it in her face.

'You see this? This is my get out of jail free card. I'm part of the brotherhood. We stick together because we're out there everyday working hard to keep ungrateful busybodies like you from real criminals. And if there's one thing we don't take kindly to, it's people like you who think they know better than we do.'

Sara's blood was boiling, more mad than scared. All she needed was one clear shot at him and he was going down like a folding table. He pressed his legs against hers, keeping her from moving. She continued to breathe heavily, her mind working overtime at finding a solution to her current dilemma. She just needed to wait him out and when he let his guard down, she'd get him directly in the nuts. And this time, she wouldn't come up short.

There was a soft rustling of leaves and she glanced to her right as she heard voices. A man and a woman, several feet away walking through the wooded area. She let out a scream which reverberated against the tightly placed duct tape covering her mouth but produced nary a sound.

Then, when she was not expecting it, Brett pulled his arm back all the way and with his full weight behind it, let his fist fly right across Sara's right cheek, sending her tumbling to the ground.

TBC


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11 **

As her cheek imploded, Sara had a random image of the old Batman series she used to watch as a kid, complete with stars and exclamation marks.

**BAM! WHUMP! **KAPOW!**

As her body was thrown back, her foot caught on a large tree root and she landed on her backside, hitting her head against the tree trunk with a loud thud. She fought the stars that appeared in front of her eyes and the sensation that her head was spinning off its axis.

Brett hovered above her, an arrogant smile on his lips. 'Not feeling so powerful now, are you bitch?'

She took in a shaky breath, willing herself to keep from passing out. No way this guy was getting the best of her. She placed her hands on the ground on either side to keep herself from tipping over.

'Scream and you'll get another smack' he growled as he ripped off the duct tape with one swift, painful tug. If someone came upon them, he could always make something up about her injuries but the tape would be harder to explain.

Sara cringed at the sudden sting across her mouth. She reached up to touch her cheek. No blood. That meant there'd be a nice big welt blooming there in the next little while.

'Does that make you feel almighty? Hitting a woman?' she spat out.

'Shut up' he said, eyes on fire. 'You bleeding heart liberals, always trying to impose your views of the world on others. When are you going to learn that what happens between a man and his wife is sacred and nobody else's business?'

Sara laughed bitterly even though her face was throbbing like hell. 'You really think you're going to keep me from helping Beth just because you had a little hissy fit and couldn't keep yourself from hitting me?'

That seemed to get him going. She could see his face redden, his fists clenching. She bit her bottom lip; maybe antagonizing this guy wasn't the best strategy after all. His eyes moved to survey the scene as he evaluated his options. She could tell he was dying to smack her around some more but he seemed to be calling on the last shred of restraint he had. Instead, he swung his leg out and kicked up some dirt, aiming directly for her face. Sara forced herself to sit up and wipe the dirt off with the back of her hand. She could taste the grit between her teeth and spit it out while she gave him a deathly stare.

'So what's the plan?' she asked defiantly. 'You planning on keeping me here until someone comes along looking for me or are you going to go all psycho and finish me off and bury me under this tree?'

'You can talk all you want lady. Nobody's going to believe anything you have to say.'

Something changed in his eyes and it took a moment for Sara to realize what it was. Off in the distance a siren was heard, headed their way.

WCWCWC

'Special occasion?' the salesclerk asked.

Neal nodded. 'Tenth wedding anniversary. My wife admired it when we were in here the other day.'

The woman examined the platinum brooch and nodded. 'It's a very unique piece. The artist is local' she said as she rung up his purchase.

Sara had always been partial to silver jewelry, claiming that gold was too pretentious. Neal had given her countless pieces over the years, necklaces, earrings, pins, bracelets, and he knew pretty well what she liked. Normally, he would have bought her anniversary gift weeks ago and would have had it all wrapped and ready for giving long before their special day. But this time around, he wanted her to have something that would remind her of their week spent by the ocean. He'd been watching her like a hawk as they'd visited the shops earlier in the week and sure enough, she had led him to this particular piece, her eyes bright as she'd examined it. He knew instantly it would be the perfect gift.

'I see you visited Wallace's' she said pointing to the shopping bag that lay at Neal's feet.

He smiled. 'I'm putting together a feast for us back at our cottage.'

'Cabot Coves?' she asked as he nodded. 'Lovely little place isn't it?'

'We're enjoying ourselves — oh, if you don't mind, I'd prefer that green one' he added as she reached for a long silk ribbon.

'I hope you picked up some of their home made chocolates' the chatty salesperson continued. 'People come from miles around for them.'

'So I hear' Neal replied, tapping the bag. 'I even got extra to bring home.'

The woman smiled. 'Full disclosure… my brother-in-law owns Wallace's but they really do make the best chocolates.'

The woman continued to gift wrap the package, making small talk as she worked. Neal was feeling rather pleased with himself. They'd be returning home in less than forty-eight hours and he wanted to make the last couple of days memorable, something Sara would remember long after they'd returned to the daily grind. He'd gotten a bagful of goodies for dinner, some primo steaks and fresh lobster for a surf and turf and some scented candles he knew she'd enjoy. He was eager to get back and set everything up on their patio where they would dine al fresco. He'd have to find a way to send her on some wild goose chase while he got things ready - not that Sara wouldn't see right through his little ruse.

He checked his watch and realized he'd been gone over an hour. Time to get back and get cracking on the preparations. He thanked the woman and had just stepped out onto the busy sidewalk when his phone rang. With his arms full, he took a few steps towards a waiting bench and took a seat, placing his purchases at his feet.

'Moz?' he said. 'What's up?'

'Just called to say hi' came Mozzie's voice.

'You called to say hi?' Neal repeated with obvious sarcasm. 'Mozzie, I'm on a romantic getaway with my wife.'

'Oh, did I catch you two in flagrante delicto?'

'No!' Neal said, rolling his eyes. 'You know there's more to romance than what happens between the sheets Moz.'

'I guess… anyway, when are you coming home?'

'When are we coming home? What are you? Six-years old?'

Mozzie cleared his throat. 'I just need your advice on something.'

Neal collected his bags and stood, jamming his phone between his ear and his shoulder. He needed to get a move-on. 'Well, whatever it is, I'm sure it can wait until we get back.'

There was silence for a second then Mozzie spoke up. 'Did you tell the Suit about that sculpture I keep at Wednesday?'

Neal had to think for a moment; Mozzie's habit of identifying his safe houses by the days of the week had always left him perplexed.

'You mean '_The Bronze Horseman_'?'

'Yeah, did he ever ask you about it?'

Neal could feel his patience running out. 'Look Moz, can't this wait? I'm in the middle of getting stuff ready for our anniversary dinner. Thanks for remembering by the way.'

'Oh, is that today?'

Neal shook his head in disbelief. 'Later Moz' he said before hanging up.

He picked up the pace and headed for the car. Time to get started.

WCWCWC

There was a large paper mâché racing car hanging from the ceiling in the middle of the playroom when Liam walked in. The group of five-year-olds were jumping around trying to reach it but coming up short.

'What's that?' he asked the birthday boy.

'It's a piñata' Nathan said with a broad smile. 'Haven't you ever seen one before?'

Liam shook his head.

'It's full of candy' Nathan declared, his eyes bright. 'My mom bought it and she put Skittles, Starbursts and M&Ms inside.'

'How do you get the candy out?' Liam asked as he walked around it, examining it.

'You beat it out' said the boy with a gleam in his eye.

'Who wants birthday cake?' came a woman's voice from the doorway.

Nathan's mom walked over to the table and set a large sheet cake down as the dozen or so boys and girls took their place around it. Chocolate. Liam's favourite. He got a primo spot next to the birthday boy and counted the candles. He had the urge to blow them out but at the last second, he pulled back, watching as Nathan took a deep breath and prepared to do the honours.

Birthday parties were the best. There was always great food: hot dogs, pizza, chips, soft drinks, all those things he didn't regularly get at home and the best part was that your parents weren't there to tell you to stop eating before you made yourself sick. But best of all were the goodie bags you got to take home with you. Nathan had been bragging all week that he had the coolest bags full of candy, coloured pencils, play dough and other surprises. Hopefully his uncle Peter wouldn't come to pick him up before they had a chance to play all the games and he was able to get his hands on some of those candies that were hanging from the ceiling.

'Thank you' he murmured as Nathan's mom handed him a piece of cake. He let out a burp then dug in.

WCWCWC

The Mason home was five houses down from the Caffrey place and Hope had been walking home on her own since she was about six years old. But until her uncle Peter was able to arrest the man who'd been skulking around, she'd been given strict orders to wait for her aunt Elizabeth to pick her up on her way home.

Staring at her teary face in the mirror, she reckoned she'd probably broken enough rules for one day.

'What in heaven's name were you two thinking?' Donna Mason said, continuing her tirade.

Considering the results were not as expected, Hope hung her head in shame. Getting yelled at was just adding insult to injury. Nobody had told her that dark hair needed bleaching before being dyed blond and now she was left with some oatmeal coloured mess on her head along with random streaks of her original rich dark brown. She wouldn't be able to show her face anywhere for the next six months. Her aunt Elizabeth would be disappointed in her but worse, much worse was the fact that her mom was coming home in two days and Hope could only imagine the stern lecture she'd have to endure to say nothing of being grounded for the foreseeable future.

'And you…' Donna continued, wagging her finger at her daughter. 'Sneaking around behind my back and buying this… this junk when I wasn't looking.'

'But it's the same brand you use' Olivia moaned, an argument that wasn't finding favour with her mom.

'This is not for kids!' Donna shouted as the doorbell rang. She left her two delinquents behind while she answered.

Being the observant person that she was, as soon as the door opened, Elizabeth Burke could see something was terribly wrong just from the look on Donna Mason's face.

'What is it? What happened?' she asked with alarm.

Donna made a sweeping hand gesture, inviting El in and that's when she got her first look at her beautiful goddaughter looking like…'

'Oh my God Hope!' she exclaimed. 'What have you done to your beautiful hair?'

WCWCWC

Lately, Dwight Cornyn had been spending much too much time thinking about Neal Caffrey and how the man had succeeded in conning him. Cornyn prided himself on knowing an FBI plant when he saw one but this time around his greed had gotten the best of him. Caffrey showing up at his club out of the blue had been no coincidence and yet he'd fallen for the ploy, hiring the ex-con to help him lure and swindle some rich marks. This Caffrey guy was good. Too good. He should have known his fortuitous appearance at his club had been much too convenient. And like smokers, if there was one thing criminals hated more than anything it was a reformed criminal.

Now that he was free, at least for the time being, he couldn't stop thinking about giving the Bureau's secret weapon a healthy dose of retaliation. Even as he'd researched Caffrey and began to do surveillance on his home, he knew he was making a mistake. And still, he couldn't help himself. All he wanted was to make the guy suffer a little for conning him and for that, he had to find out all he could about the man's personal life and what mattered most to him.

He'd been confused at first - this was definitely the Caffrey house but the man himself was nowhere to be seen. It was easy enough to confirm that the two kids living on Meadowbrook Street were the man's offspring.

A simple question while standing on the sidelines at the soccer field had taken care of that.

_'__That kid's really good' he'd said to an unsuspecting dad who'd been cheering on the team. 'Who is she?'_

_'__Her?' the man had said, pointing. 'That's Hope Caffrey, she's one of our best strikers.'_

And voilà. Easy as pie. What he couldn't understand at first was why that agent Burke guy and his wife were staying at the house instead of Caffrey and his lovely wife. A few more questions at the soccer game on Monday night had produced the desired results.

_'__I'm recruiting for next year's competitive team and I'd really like to talk to the Caffrey girl's parents. Do you know who they are' he'd asked innocently as he surveyed the parents on the sidelines._

_A talkative mom had given him the lowdown. 'Oh, you mean Sara and Neal. They're on a trip somewhere for their anniversary. Somewhere in Maine I think. The Burkes over there are staying with the kids.'_

And there you go, just like that he'd gotten the full picture. People sure liked to talk and show off all the gossip they were privy to. His first instinct had been to pay Caffrey himself a visit but _somewhere in Maine_ was a little too vague of a destination. After careful consideration he realized that the best way to freak somebody out was to go after their kids. He'd thought long and hard about his approach and had decided the younger kid was the way to go. The girl looked a little too with it to fall for the tried and true '_hey little girl, can you help me find my dog_' trick.

Yeah, the more he thought about it, walking away with one of Caffrey's kids would put the fear of god in the ex-con and would bring him home faster than a fat kid chasing an ice cream truck. Maybe then, he could have a little tête à tête with the ex-con and share his displeasure at what had transpired.

He sat in his car outside the modest house on Pennington Lane watching as kids started to leave the party. He needed to time things just right - wait until it was busy enough to keep from having to answer too many questions but make his move before Peter Burke showed up to pick up the kid. He'd heard the woman who'd dropped Liam off reminding the boy that his uncle Peter would be picking him up.

Well, she'd been wrong. Because today, little Liam would be coming home with his uncle Dwight.

WCWCWC

Beth heard the sirens headed their way and breathed a sigh of relief. She hadn't hesitated to call the local police the moment Brett had disappeared dragging Sara behind him. From experience, she had a pretty good idea of what he had in store for the woman who'd been a thorn in his side and yet had been nothing but kind and supportive of her. Since calling 911, she'd been pacing up and down the path in front of their cottage, waiting for the police to arrive or for Neal to return from wherever he'd disappeared to - whichever came first. She had no way of getting in touch with him. Besides the fact that they lived in White Plains, she knew nothing about the couple, not even their last name and all she could do was wait for him to return from wherever he'd gone.

This was all her fault. Why hadn't she intervened before Brett got angry and made a move for Sara. She should have insisted that Sara leave them to their quarrel; at least that would have kept her new friend safe. She absentmindedly rubbed her belly as she paced, thinking of the baby she'd been hiding from her husband. No one knew about her pregnancy which was the main reason she was staying put. Everybody knew a baby needed a father. Perhaps learning he was going to be a dad would be a turning point for Brett.

The police would be there any minute and she needed a strategy. What would she tell them? The truth? That her violent husband had dragged a poor innocent woman off to do heaven knows what? Or some alternate version of the truth in order to protect her husband? And what about Sara's husband? What would she tell him when he came home and found her gone?

He deserved to know the truth.

WCWCWC

It was a short drive from the touristy section of town back to their cottage and although he and Sara had walked it on a couple of occasions since they'd arrived, Neal was glad he'd taken the car today. He wasn't up to the thirty to forty minute walk now that his arms were overflowing with bags. Besides, time was a factor, he still had lots to do to get ready. He did one last mental check of his purchases as he drove: food, wine, anniversary gift. Check, check, check. Sara was going to love what he had in store for her. He'd even picked up some fairy lights to decorate the trees surrounding their patio. He tapped his pocket, feeling the Swiss army knife he'd brought from home so they could add the kids' names to the initials they'd long ago carved in the tree by the door.

The distant sound of a siren grew louder and he glanced in his rear view mirror, noticing a police cruiser gaining speed behind him. He pulled over and watched the car whizz by, making a right turn at the turnoff for the cottages. Pulling out, he accelerated as he felt his stomach lurch - a strange premonition that something was wrong. He sped up the dirt road watching as the cop car up ahead made another right onto the cottages' property.

Dust flew up behind him as he took the last turn and saw with alarm that the police had come to a stop in front of Beth and Brett's cottage. As he got closer, he noticed Beth running towards the two officers. Had the woman finally had enough of her husband's abuse?

Leaving everything in the car, he jumped out just as Beth began talking to the police, her voice frantic.

'What's going on?' Neal called out, sensing his wife was somehow involved. 'Where's Sara?'

WCWCWC

Some of the kids had started to leave the party and Liam watched with interest as the goodie bags by the front door started to disappear one by one. He hoped there would be one left for him when it was finally time for him to go. The piñata had been the highlight for him and he was already planning on asking his parents if he could have one for his birthday. He let out a loud burp and stuffed another candy in his mouth.

Outside on the front lawn, parents were beginning to arrive to collect their little ones. Dwight Cornyn took one last nervous look around and stepped out of his car.

'You must be Nathan's dad' he said to the man he'd been observing talking to all the parents. 'I'm Peter Burke, Liam's uncle.'

'Right, right' the man said shaking his hand. 'I'm Jason. My wife mentioned you'd be picking Liam up.'

Cornyn glanced out at the street where he'd deliberately double parked. 'I'm… there was no parking. Do you mind telling Liam I'll wait for him in the car?'

'Of course, go ahead' Nathan's dad said as another parent approached him. 'I'll send him right out.'

TBC


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

Sara could feel her strength slowly returning. Her face was still numb and the back of her head felt like it had been smashed in with a mallet but her mind was clearing and she could feel her legs again. She tested the waters by wiggling her toes. Perhaps she could make a run for it, call out for help. That was a gamble of course. If she was unsuccessful, he'd be on the attack and she'd be back to square one with one more cut or bruise to add to her growing collection. She felt her phone vibrating in her pocket for the third time. No doubt Neal wondering where she was. Had he returned to the cottage? Had Beth told him what had happened? And more importantly, did that siren she could hear off in the distance have anything to do with what was happening deep in the woods, out of everyone's sight?

Meanwhile, Brett was staring into space as the sirens grew louder. He was used to lying, covering up for his misdeeds but that didn't mean it was easy. On the few occasions where Beth had called the police, he'd managed to talk her down before they'd arrived and she'd always played along. _'False alarm officer, I tripped and hit my head… my knee let out and I tumbled down the stairs… I'm just such a klutz.'_ But this crazy redhead sitting at his feet was a whole other kettle of fish and she wasn't going to play along. He needed to concoct a reasonable explanation for what he was doing in the woods with an injured woman who was claiming he'd attacked her.

His kinship with the boys in blue was always his first line of defence. He was a brother, a kindred spirit and that fact alone would give him the edge when they eventually questioned him. And Beth would cover for him, she always did. But unlike his wife, this crazy woman would be all too eager to share _her_ version of events.

He felt her move and he looked over. Despite the pain she was in, she was doing her best to get back on her feet. Stupid broad just couldn't seem to learn her lesson.

She winced as pain flared under her eye. 'Don't you think this has gone far enough?' she said, shaking the dirt off her white capris. 'Why don't we head on back to the cottage and try to put this behind us.'

His eyes hardened. Sara took a wonky step forward and felt her ankle give out.

'What are you doing?' he asked accusingly.

'I told you, I'm going back to the cottage' she replied matter of factly despite the fact she was totally turned around and had no idea in which direction to head.

'We're not done talking' he said menacingly. He put out his arm, impeding her movements.

'What more is there to say? Look, I get it. You're angry at me, you have a mean left hook and you want me to stop talking to your wife. Have I missed anything?' she asked with self-assurance.

He glared at her. She was one annoying bitch. 'Don't be such a smart ass.'

'Look, today is my wedding anniversary and I'm pretty sure my husband is out there preparing something special for us. Why don't we just agree that I'll stay out of your business from now on and we can both get back to our lives.'

She felt her knees shaking but managed to cover it up. Here she was on her own with nothing but her smart mouth to get her out of trouble.

Hell, she missed her baton!

WCWCWC

'He was really angry…' Beth was telling the officers as Neal approached.

'What's going on Beth? Where's Sara?' he repeated.

Beth's face was blotchy as if she'd been crying. 'Brett and I were arguing and Sara came to the door. He got mad at her, told her to mind her own business. She was trying to get me to leave with her but… he picked her up and carried her out.'

'What do you mean, he carried her out?' Neal asked, his anxiety growing.

'He said he wanted to have a chat with her and he forced her to leave with him.'

Neal's heart was pumping wildly in his chest. 'Where did he take her?'

She shook her head and looked down at the ground. 'I don't know. They headed towards the cove.'

Neal took a deep breath, trying to get his mind to focus. He glanced at Brett's truck which was still parked in its usual spot.

'They can't have gone far on foot' he said.

'Ma'am, are you sure they're not just sitting somewhere having a nice quiet chat?' one of the officers asked.

'Tell them' Neal said, his voice shrill.

She stood silently, hands shaking. She'd been protecting her husband for so long she didn't know any other way to be.

'TELL THEM!' Neal repeated, growing more frantic.

'He's violent… I mean if he's angry he can be violent' she admitted sheepishly. 'And he was really angry at Sara.'

Neal's eyes were already roaming the property, looking for clues as to where his wife might have been taken. There were sitting areas all around the semi-circle of cottages, benches surrounding the cove, walking paths criss-crossing the property.

'There's a wooded area behind those paths' he said, pointing. 'Sara and I went exploring the other day.'

One of the officers glanced in that direction. 'How deep does that wooded area go?' he asked.

'That goes all the way up to Highway 4' his partner replied.

'Look, sir' the older officer said, looking at Neal. 'We're talking about two adults here and I don't see any evidence of foul play — '

Neal interrupted. He was on the edge of losing his cool. 'Didn't you hear what she said? She just told you her husband is violent and he walked away with my wife kicking and screaming. There's no telling what he's capable of.'

The two officers looked at each other. The younger of the two shrugged. 'I suppose it wouldn't hurt to have a look up there, see if we can find them.'

Neal was already on the move, making his way towards the cove. He was going to look for Sara whether the police came along or not.

'And you've tried calling your wife?' the older officer asked as Neal got further away.

'Of course I have' he replied over his shoulder. He increased his pace until he was jogging. 'We're wasting time.'

'Ma'am, why don't you stay here in case they come back and we'll go see if we can locate them?'

Beth nodded. 'Hurry please. I'm worried.'

'Don't worry, we'll find your husband.'

She watched as the officers caught up to Neal and she whispered under her breath. 'He's not the one I'm worried about.'

WCWCWC

Liam stepped out of the house and glanced around, taking a few steps towards the street where several cars were parked. Around him, kids were reuniting with their parents, getting into cars and heading home. In his hand, he held the party favours Nathan had handed him on his way out. He could see some candy sticking out the top of the bag and he smiled. Candy made him happy.

He resumed his search for his uncle Peter's car but it was nowhere in sight.

'Liam!' he heard as he got closer to the curb.

A man sat in the driver's seat of a dark sedan, waving at him. Liam took a few tentative steps, suddenly on high alert.

'Remember me? I saw you at the soccer field the other day.'

Liam nodded slowly. It was the man who'd chatted with him as he sat playing with the other boys.

'I work with your uncle Peter. My name is Dave.'

Liam examined the man's face, hidden behind a pair of sunglasses. The man removed them and smiled broadly at him.

'He's stuck in a meeting and he sent me to pick you up and bring you to his office. Is that okay?'

Liam scowled. Was this one of those tricks bad men used when they wanted to hurt little kids? His parents had warned him never to accept candy from strangers and not to believe someone who said they needed help finding their puppy. But this man wasn't offering candy nor was he asking for help. And he didn't look mean at all. He was smiling. And Liam _had_ seen him at the soccer field.

'Oh, I know, I know' the man said as he brought a finger to his bottom lip tapping it lightly as if thinking. 'I'm supposed the use the safe word, it's… it's…'

Liam brightened. The man knew about the safe word. 'Caterpillar!' he exclaimed before he could help himself.

'That's it, caterpillar' the man said with a smile.

Liam relaxed a little before growing unsure. Was that how you used the safe word or was it supposed to be the other way around?

Cornyn didn't give him time to think. 'Come on' he said as he reached over to open the passenger door. 'You're a big boy, you can ride up front with me.'

Another car drove up behind them and one of the kids from the party jumped inside. Liam looked down at his loot bag and with one last look around, he took a decisive step into the car.

WCWCWC

The wooded area behind the cottages covered a good couple of square miles and once the three men found themselves at the edge of the underbrush, the officers suggested they split up in order to cover more ground. One of them gave Neal a phone number to reach them and the three of them headed in different directions. Neal could feel his heart pumping so hard he could actually hear it.

'Remind me of your wife's name again sir?' one of the officers asked as they all prepared to disappear into the thicket.

'Sara. Sara Ellis. Tall, slim, reddish hair… beautiful' he added unnecessarily.

The man chuckled. 'Got it. Stay in touch.'

Neal was already on the move, heading west as mutually agreed. Just as he recalled from their earlier excursion, the brush was pretty sparse at first, the sunlight shining through the trees. There were several clearings where you could walk unhindered and he wandered in deeper, his ears attuned to the sounds around him.

'Sara!' he called out, repeating her name every few feet. 'SARA!'

What the hell was this Brett guy playing at? What he'd done, forcing Sara to come with him against her will, was nothing less than kidnapping. He thought of his wife, his brave, beautiful wife. It wasn't surprising she'd gotten involved in the couple's feud; she never could walk away from someone who needed help. He wondered if she was scared. One thing he knew for sure; she'd be doing her best to hide it. He'd seen her talk her way out of countless confrontations without showing an ounce of fear and armed with her smart mouth and her baton, he'd observed as she rendered guys twice her size helpless in no time flat.

But she didn't _have _her baton and for all her self-confidence and sass, she remained a woman, a slight woman at that. Her job had exposed her to plenty of dangerous situations and not without difficulty, Neal had learned to accept that he would never succeed in changing her. Not that he wanted to. Her strength and perseverance was part of her appeal and he loved her for it. He took out his phone and was preparing to call her again when something flashed in his mind.

A while back he'd gone out for a drink with Peter and a few of the guys from the Bureau. When he'd stepped out of the bar, he'd realized he'd underestimated how much he'd had to drink and he'd opted to wait a while before heading out. He'd fallen asleep in the car without realizing his phone was dead and when he'd finally made it home, a worried Sara had been standing by the front door with the verbal equivalent of a rolling pin, waiting to chew him out. Following the incident, they'd agreed to activate the GPS feature on both their phones to avoid any future such situations. Did she still have the feature activated on her phone?

He punched in a few buttons and there it was. The location of her phone appeared on his screen, about 600 feet away, due north east. Without hesitation, Neal took off in that direction.

WCWCWC

'Are you hungry?' the man asked as they drove along. 'I am.'

The further they got from Nathan's place, the more worried Liam became that he'd somehow screwed up the use of the safe word. He felt his stomach churning.

'Why don't we stop and get a bite. Whatever you want' Dwight said. 'Your uncle is going to be a while yet.'

'I'm not really hungry' Liam said meekly. 'I ate too much at the party.'

'Oh yeah? Well, maybe we can get you something to drink. I'm dying for a big fat burger.'

Liam loved big fat burgers but he felt his stomach rebelling again following much too much junk food and a joy ride with someone he didn't know.

'Can you just take me home?' he asked. 'I know my address.'

'You're a smart kid Liam. Tell you what, I'll take you home when we're done. How's that?'

Liam looked out at the streets around them. He didn't recognize the neighbourhood at all and he was beginning to get scared. Was this man really a friend of his uncle Peter's? He didn't look like a bad man but then again, what did bad men look like?

'So your daddy is Neal Caffrey, right?'

Liam nodded but remained quiet.

'He works with your uncle Peter doesn't he?'

Hadn't the man said he worked with his uncle Peter too? If so, how come he didn't know his dad?

'I hear your parents are away on a trip.'

Liam nodded. 'Yes, they're in Kennepork.'

'Kennepork? I don't think I know that place.'

'They're coming home in two more sleeps.'

'Two sleeps huh? That's not very long.'

Liam glanced nervously to his left. He could feel his stomach quiver and not just from having overindulged. When he looked out the window, he noticed the car had turned into a diner parking lot and he sighed. He couldn't stomach looking at food right now.

'Come on buddy' the man said. 'I'll race you in.'

WCWCWC

Peter checked the address on his phone one last time as he drove up the quiet street. The group of rowdy kids on the front lawn of a nearby home were like a beacon and he headed over there to check things out. His eyes searched for Liam and not finding him, he stepped out of the car and walked towards a woman who looked like she'd spent the afternoon dealing with a bunch of boisterous five-year-olds. He waited for her to finish talking to another dad and stepped forward.

'Are you Nathan's mom?' he asked as she wiped her brow.

'What gave me away?' she asked with a grin.

Peter pulled out his badge. 'I'm Peter Burke' he said. 'I'm picking up my nephew Liam Caffrey.'

'Right, right' she said. 'I met your wife earlier. She said you'd be doing the pick-up.'

She glanced around the place, eyes searching for Liam and not finding him. 'Let me go check inside' she said as Peter followed her in. 'He's a really sweet boy but don't be surprised if he's not hungry for dinner.'

Peter chuckled. 'Five years old and nobody to monitor your intake of junk food. A recipe for disaster.'

The two of them did a cursory search finding the birthday boy, standing by the remnants of the cake, licking frosting off his fingers.

'Honey, have you seen Liam?' his mom asked him.

'I think he's gone' he replied.

A look of worry crossed Peter's face. He followed the woman into the kitchen where a man was busy loading up the dishwasher.

'Babe… Liam Caffrey. Have you seen him?'

The man looked at Peter then back at his wife. 'He left, about ten minutes ago. He went with his uncle like you told me.'

Peter looked at the couple, his heart sinking.

'This is Peter Burke, Liam's uncle' the woman said, realizing what had happened. 'I told you he wasn't supposed to leave with anybody else.'

The husband was beginning to panic. 'He told me he was Peter Burke…'

'You didn't ask for ID?' she asked, growing annoyed.

This back and forth wasn't helping Peter in any way, shape of form. Apparently, Liam was gone and it didn't take a crystal ball to figure out who had passed himself off as Liam's uncle.

'Can you describe the car?' he asked the man, struggling to remain in FBI mode.

'… dark sedan, I didn't really pay attention' the man admitted. 'He was double parked and he asked me to send Liam out.'

'Did you see Liam get into the car?'

'I saw him walk towards the curb where the cars were parked but… I got distracted. I'm sorry.'

Peter took out his phone and brought up the sketch Colin had concocted the day before. He held it in front of the man's face.

'That's him' Nathan's dad said. 'That's the man who picked him up.'

Peter stepped away from the now squabbling couple and started banging on his phone, barking orders at Jones on the other end of the line. Amber alert… NYPD… all points bulletin… dark sedan…

His heart thumped loudly in his chest. What was Cornyn's play here? Was he just doing this to yank Neal's chain or did he have the intention of hurting Liam? And what about the little guy? Was he safe? Was he terrified as he realized that whatever reason the man had given to lure him away was nothing but a lie?

Then, he stopped dead in his tracks.

Neal and Sara.

How would he tell them that their precious little boy was missing?

WCWCWC

Hope had been sulking in her room for the past half hour, refusing to come down for dinner. She'd done some pretty stupid stuff in her young life but she was starting to think this might be the dumbest one of all. She stood in front of the mirror, tears streaming down her face. The beautiful, lustrous blond hair she'd been dreaming of was nowhere to be seen. Instead, she was face to face with a mess of colours intermingling, leaving her usually bouncy curls lifeless and flat. Satchmo sat on the bed watching her. He let out a mournful cry in empathy.

'Oh Satchmo!' Hope moaned as she threw herself on the bed. 'I ruined my life!'

The dog crawled up the bed, settling next to her and sniffing her hair. Seems he wasn't much of a fan either.

There was a quiet knock on the door and Elizabeth appeared, holding her phone in her hand.

'Honey… how are you doing?' she asked as she took a spot next to her on the bed.

Hope didn't reply, just covered her head and continued pouting.

'I'd tell you what you did was really stupid but I have a feeling you already know.'

'My mom… she's going to kill me' Hope sniffled.

'Nobody's going to kill you' El said reassuringly. 'Now, do you want to tell me what this is all about?'

'I wanted to be a blonde like… I just wanted to be a blonde. Everybody says blondes have more fun.

El giggled as she thought of the commercial she hadn't seen since she was a kid. 'Where in heaven's name did you ever hear that?' she asked.

Hope shrugged. 'Everybody says blondes are prettier than brunettes.'

'Well that's not true. I'm not a blonde and I think I'm very pretty' El said with a grin. 'At least that's what uncle Peter tells me.'

'You _are_ pretty.'

El smiled at her goddaughter. 'You know us blue eyed brunettes have to stick together. We're a pretty rare species.'

She seemed to be getting Hope's attention. 'That's what my dad always says.'

Elizabeth held up her phone. 'I've been doing some research and I came up with a couple of ways we can wash this out.'

Hope sat up, her eyes brightening. 'Really?'

'Really. Now why don't you come down and eat something and after you eat we'll give it a try.'

Satchmo let out a joyful bark.

WCWCWC

Neal walked with one eye glued to his phone. The brush was getting thicker now and even though civilization was close by, he felt like he was in the middle of Sherwood Forest. According to the GPS, he was getting closer, about four hundred feet away now. Normally, he could cover that distance in just a few minutes but the path back to Sara was tortuous and he kept having to realign himself to remain on target. For now, he'd stopped calling her name. What was the point of announcing his arrival if she was with Brett? Better to sneak up on him. He used his phone and texted the coordinates of her location to the police.

Hopefully, the gadget would live up to its promise that it could track within sixteen feet. If he could get that close, he'd be able to see them if not hear them. He continued on his way, avoiding branches and stepping over roots and large rocks.

Up until know he'd managed to stay focussed, pushing away any random thought that Sara might be hurt or injured. If Brett used his wife as a punching bag, there was no telling what he'd do to a stranger who had pissed him off. He shooed the thought away and kept checking his phone, watching as the distance separating him from Sara continued to shrink, step by step.

WCWCWC

It was becoming obvious to Sara that her captor didn't know what to do with her. If he set her free, he knew she would report him to the police. He still might get away with it if he could act convincingly and if Beth backed up his story. Then it would be Sara's word against his. And a cop's word would always come out on top. The sound of the siren had disappeared and Sara began to despair that it had not heralded the arrival of her saviours after all. Neal would come looking eventually but how long would it take before he realized she was missing? The thick tree cover made it impossible to walk in a straight line and he could be walking around in circles for hours and never find her. She had to do something to get herself out of this mess.

Now that the siren had faded, Brett seemed to have calmed down. He'd forced her to sit down again and had joined her by sitting on a large rock, keeping an eye on her.

'This is ridiculous —' Sara began for the third time.

'I told you to shut up bitch. We'll go back when I'm good and ready.'

He'd just spoken when a swoosh and a clunk was heard coming from over his left shoulder. He jumped to his feet and took a few tentative steps towards the sound just as Sara felt another vibration in her pocket. A text this time. She had a split second to react and she took advantage of his distracted state to glance at her screen.

_'__I'm right here'_

She gasped and hurriedly stuffed her phone back into her pocket just as Brett returned to his makeshift seat.

'Some animal…' he grumbled.

Sara's eyes began to roam the area, her breathing suddenly shaky. It took a minute but she found him - just like Waldo dissimulated behind a nearby tree trunk.

He popped his head out and looking straight at his wife, Neal brought a finger to his lips as she exhaled.

TBC


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

Sara felt a drop of sweat roll down her back. As much as she was trying not to stare, her eyes were drawn to the spot where she'd caught sight of Neal a moment ago. But he was no longer there. Where had he disappeared to?

'What's with you?' Brett said, getting to his feet.

'I told you. I want to go back. This is annoying.'

'_You're_ annoying' he replied.

There was a brief movement behind him and Sara noticed Neal had moved a little closer, remaining hidden behind a tree.

'Why couldn't you just stay out of our lives' the man added, looking defeated. 'You don't know anything about us.'

'I know that your wife loves you enough to keep hoping you'll change' Sara replied, gaining confidence now that Neal was nearby.

'You know nothing. The pressures of the job… wanting a better life for me and Beth.'

Neal kept watching from a few feet away, waiting for the right moment to step in. He could see what Sara was trying to do. Despite the vulnerable situation she was in, she was taking one last shot at getting the man to see reason. He caught something in her eyes as she looked in his direction: a silent plea to stay put until she'd given it one last try.

'Marriage is hard work, I get it. My husband and I… we have our moments too.'

'Oh yeah?' the man said, eyes fixed on the ground. 'A high maintenance princess like yourself. I bet you've got him by the balls.'

'Well, you'd be wrong. Neal and I each have our strengths… and our weaknesses. Throw in a couple of kids and suddenly you've got more than you ever bargained for.'

His body seemed to relax a little. As the minutes passed, his surprise abduction seemed to be morphing into an unexpected therapy session.

'You got kids?' he asked.

'Yeah, we have two and believe me if there was ever a test of your ability to keep your temper in check… kids are it.'

'Don't you ever get angry, feel like you're losing control?' he asked, tipping his hand. Whatever had driven him to violence appeared to be a mystery, even to him.

'Everybody does. Sometimes you manage to hold it together better than others. Me, I'm a yeller' Sara readily admitted. 'Whenever I get worked up I shout at my husband or my kids. I end up apologizing a lot' she added. 'Hardly seems worth it… and yet, I never seem to learn.'

He glanced at her and for the first time she saw a man and not some monster. Were her words getting to him?

'Beth drives me crazy sometimes and… I lose it.' He took a deep breath. 'Then I realize what I've done and I wish I could take it all back.'

Sara glanced in Neal's direction. He was listening to every word.

'Who was it who abused you Brett? Your dad? Your mom?'

The moment she spoke the words, she realized she'd hit a nerve but he wasn't ready to hear the cold, hard truth. His mouth opened in an obscene 'o' and his eyes grew dark again. Suddenly, he remembered why he'd brought her there in the first place and anger flared in his eyes. He leaned forward, preparing to strike her again.

Sara cringed, bracing for another hit but Neal was instantly there, moving like lightning and placing his body between the two of them.

'Back off!' he shouted.

Surprised, Brett took a step back but recovered enough to stare Neal down, trying his best to intimidate him. Neal wasn't backing off. Sara struggled to stand and that's when Neal saw that she was sporting a fresh bruise on her cheek and was teetering on one of her legs.

'Oh here we go' Brett said his voice dripping with sarcasm. 'Here's the other half of the dynamic duo.'

'Big man!' Neal said, his voice beyond angry. 'Picking on women half your size. You're pathetic.'

Sara inched closer to him and he could feel the heat of her body at his back. He stretched his arms out wide to keep Brett from reaching her as he eyed the man up and down. His main fear was that he might be armed. He remembered the Swiss army knife in his pocket and tapped it, checking it was still there. As Moz would say: if the man _was_ carrying, his tiny knife was akin to bringing a corkscrew to a gunfight.

'Sara…' Neal said as he kept an eye on Brett and reached behind him. 'Give me your hand.'

She did as he asked and Neal took a step back, turning his gaze towards her. She looked horrible, her face blotchy, her cheek swollen, her previously pristine clothes stained with dirt.

Brett stood there, unsure of Neal's next move. He didn't have to wait long. Neal turned to look at his wife, using the momentum created by his movement to wind up as if throwing a pitch from the mound. His fist landed directly on the other man's mouth and instantly, he felt his hand start to throb like a son of a bitch.

'That's for what you did to my wife' Neal spit out.

Brett lost his footing and fell back and Neal took advantage of his moment of vulnerability to kick him, hitting him directly in the ribs.

'And that's for the comment about me being pussy whipped.'

There was the rustling sound of leaves and the youngest of the two police officers appeared from behind a patch of trees. 'Is everything all right here?' he asked.

Brett wiped his lip which was dripping blood and staggered to his feet, his pride hurt. He flashed the police officer a smile.

'This guy seems to think I wanted to hurt his wife' he said, wiping his hands on his jeans. 'All I was trying to do was help her. She fell and hurt herself.'

'Ma'am?' the officer said.

Sara stared at Brett, her look defiant. She was still standing behind Neal, her hand on his arm to steady herself. 'He dragged me here and kept me here against my will' she countered.

'Why would you say something like that?' Brett said, indignant. 'I was just trying to help you. Officer, I'm with the Montpelier Police Department myself and I heard this lady cry out…'

He was interrupted by the second officer arriving on the scene. Brett conjured up another one of his smiles.

'Everyone okay here?' the officer asked. There were nods all around. Neal had his arm around Sara's waist, helping to hold her up.

'Why don't we all go back to the cottages and we can try to figure all this out' he said, looking at Brett. 'Your wife's been worried about you.'

'Can you walk on your own ma'am?' the younger officer asked, turning to look at Sara. Neal had been wondering the same thing.

She took a couple of unsteady steps, holding onto Neal's arm. Despite her disheveled appearance, something came over her face, that proud, fearless look Neal knew all too well. She looked at the officers and ran her hand through her hair as if that alone would return her to her previously perfectly polished state.

'Well, I'm sure as hell not letting you guys _carry_ me back' she snipped.

WCWCWC

Liam sat across from the man, watching him eat his greasy burger. Just the smell was making his stomach churn.

'You sure you don't want anything kid? How about a hot dog? Or some fries?'

Liam shook his head, eyes staring down at the table. 'I want to go home' he said, his voice wavering.

'I told you, I'll take you home after.'

'After what?' he asked.

'After we finish with our little talk.'

Liam let out a quivering breath. He had nothing to talk about with this man. All he wanted was his mommy. He'd even be happy with his aunt Elizabeth or uncle Peter.

'My daddy is strong' he said, wondering why he'd said that.

'Oh yeah. I've met your daddy. I don't think he's so strong but he is very smart and he did something to me I didn't like.'

That got Liam's attention. He looked up at the man who'd stopped smiling. As a matter of fact, he was looking rather angry, the way his mom looked when he refused to finish his vegetables.

'What did he do?' he couldn't help but ask.

'He told me a lie and it made me mad.'

'My daddy doesn't lie' Liam said defensively.

'Everybody lies kid' the man said as he stuffed the last of his burger in his mouth.

'I don't. And my daddy doesn't. Lying is wrong. We shouldn't lie.'

Cornyn cleared his throat. 'How about I take you to the bowling alley? Have you ever been bowling kid?'

'I don't want to go' Liam said with a pout.

'Aww come on, bowling is fun. I'll show you how to throw the ball so you can get all the pins down.'

Liam's face melted into a frown and he started kicking the underside of the table as he did when he wanted to drive his parents nuts. The dishes rattled in response.

'Will there be anything else?' asked the waitress who'd appeared before them. She gave Liam a wink. 'Have you changed your mind little guy?'

Suddenly he felt brave and he looked at the pretty young woman. 'This man isn't my daddy' he told her.

The girl frowned, unsure how to react.

'Cut it out buddy, I'm sure Pamela here doesn't want to hear about our stupid little game' Cornyn said, glancing at her name tag.

He looked straight at her and gave her a wide grin. 'I'm afraid my son here has an overactive imagination. Likes to make up stories.'

Liam pulled himself up, kneeling on the seat in the booth. 'That's not true, he's a bad man.'

The poor young woman didn't know quite what to think. Cornyn pulled out his wallet and threw some bills on the table. And just like that, he grabbed Liam by the collar and dragged him out.

WCWCWC

The White Collar offices had turned into kidnapping central. All hands were on deck in an effort to locate Cornyn and more importantly little Liam Caffrey who had been taken against his will. There'd been no ransom call nor had Peter expected one. He was convinced that this little manoeuvre of Cornyn's had been carried out out of spite, not for any monetary gain. Cornyn was no kidnapper, nor was he a pedophile. Peter's instincts told him that the man would probably return the child unharmed once he'd made his point. But 'probably' wasn't good enough, not when it came to the scared little boy he loved as if he was his own.

Diana appeared before him as he sat in his office. 'We got it boss. We tracked Cornyn's credit card. He rented a black Ford Taurus last weekend. I've already called in the plate to NYPD.'

'All right, that's something I guess' Peter replied as he hung up the phone. It was his second attempt at reaching Neal but once again, he hadn't left a message. This was not the kind of news you left on your best friend's answering machine.

_'__Hope you guys are having a great time. By the way… try not to worry but Liam got dragged away by a dangerous criminal and we don't have a goddamn clue where they are.'_

'How is it going with the interviews?' he asked.

'We've traced all the kids who were at the party and we've interviewed about half the parents.'

'And?'

'One of the dads says he saw Liam getting into a dark late model car but… that's it. So far, nobody saw where they went.'

Diana turned on her heels, returning to chase down leads. With the amber alert and every cop in all five boroughs on the lookout for a dark Taurus, licence plate GAP 4563, it was a question of time before they located the car _if _Cornyn was on the move. But if he had taken Liam away somewhere and hidden the car out of sight… well, it wasn't much of a lead.

Peter picked up the phone once more. It was time to let El know what was going on. He'd posted an agent in front of the Caffrey place from the moment he'd realized Liam had been taken but she still hadn't been told about the abduction. She'd be calling soon to find out what was taking them so long to get back.

The phone rang in his hand and he glanced at the screen. Elizabeth calling.

WCWCWC

Beth was still pacing in front of the cottage when the group returned. Her eyes went immediately to Sara, studying her for any discernible sign of damage. The welt on Sara's face was noticeable from a distance and it was obvious she was limping. Brett's face, on the other hand, was unreadable and he avoided her glare as they grew near.

The two officers invited everyone to assemble on the patio in front of Neal and Sara's cottage. Beth took a seat next to Sara on the swing while Neal stood behind his wife and Brett settled on one of the chairs. The two officers stood facing them.

'Let's go over this one more time' the older of the two officers said as he pulled out a pad and pen.

Brett didn't hesitate, eager to launch into his version of what had happened. 'As I told you, I'm an officer with the Montpelier Police Department. I went out for a stroll about an hour ago' he began, avoiding Sara's eyes. 'I ended up in the woods and I heard this lady calling for help.'

Sara sighed but remained quiet. Neal's hand rested on her shoulder, grounding her.

'She'd tripped on a large tree root and hit her head. I wasn't about to leave her there so I helped her sit up. I was just giving her a moment to get her bearings when her husband came along like a crazed lunatic and started yelling at me, telling me to get my hands off his wife. I tried to de-escalate the situation. Then, out of nowhere…' he continued, wiping his lip for dramatic effect '… this yahoo takes a swing at me. I didn't see it coming and I fell back. That's when he kicked me in the ribs.'

Brett lifted his shirt, showing off the beginnings of a bruise. He winced for effect. 'Guy's crazy as far as I can tell. It was a good thing you came along when you did.'

Sara was boiling inside, trying her best to remain calm until she was called upon to speak.

'Ma'am? Is that what happened? Did you trip and fall?'

Sara took a deep breath. She had truth on her side, there was no reason to become hysterical.

'The truth is… I heard a commotion coming from the cottage next door. I went over to see what was going on. These two…' she said, pointing to Beth and her husband, '…were arguing. He was angry at his wife. I was worried he might become violent with her so I tried to get her to come with me… let things calm down a little.'

She turned to look at Brett who was doing a damn fine job at looking like the injured party.

'He started yelling at me, telling me I was sticking my nose in where it didn't belong.'

Neal leaned in, rubbing her shoulder.

'I wouldn't leave because… well, because I was really afraid for Beth. So he got angrier. Called me some… colourful names and when Beth tried to speak up, he smacked her and she fell to the ground. That's when he said he was taking me for a little walk so we could have a chat —'

Brett interrupted, getting to his feet. Although he was trying his best to remain cool, calm and collected, his face reddened and his voice grew loud. 'This is ridiculous. This woman has been befriending my wife the last few days, putting all kinds of ideas in her head and sticking her nose in our lives. I want to lay charges.'

The officers glanced at each other. The stories were diametrically opposed. They were dealing with a police officer from another jurisdiction which gave his version a little more weight. Luckily, there was a third party who could corroborate one of the two versions of the events.

'Ma'am' the younger officer said, turning to look at Beth. 'What's your recollection of what happened?'

Brett sighed in relief. Beth had always had his back no matter the circumstances. Her corroboration would seal the deal and then he'd be all too happy to put in a complaint against Neal for assault.

The whole group turned to look at Beth who was suddenly in the hot seat. The woman took Sara's hand in hers and squeezed to keep from shaking. Brett's eyes were burning into hers, reminding her of what was at stake if she didn't back him up but Beth's eyes stared at her's and Sara's linked hands.

'What Sara said is true' she began, her voice shaky. 'Brett and I were arguing and she came over to see what all the ruckus was about. Brett pushed her up against the wall, pulled her hair, called her a bitch, a busybody and Sara stood up for me. She tried to get me to leave with her, to get away from Brett but that just made him angrier.'

'Honey…' Brett interrupted, getting to his feet. 'Why are you saying all this?'

'Then he blew up and elbowed me in the stomach.'

Everyone grew quiet. Brett's eyes were growing dark and angry.

'He grabbed Sara, told her he wanted to have a chat with her… just like Sara said. And the next thing I knew, he physically picked her up and dragged her out of the cottage. I was terrified of what he might do, so I called the police.'

'You?' Brett repeated, a look of betrayal in his eyes. 'You're the one who called the police. Why would you do that?'

She sat in silence, refusing to respond.

'Why would you make all this up and then call the police?' he repeated.

The two officers looked at each other. 'We're going to need all of you to come into the station and make a statement.'

Neal piped up. He'd had enough of watching Brett play the victim. 'Can't you see my wife's been injured. She can hardly walk.'

'How about tomorrow? Ms Ellis would you be willing to come in and give us a statement in the morning?'

Sara nodded silently.

'In the meantime, it might be best if you avoid any further contact between you' the officer said to the two men.

Neal glared at Brett; he had no interest in any further communication with the brute. 'Just stay away from my wife' he warned, his voice clipped.

WCWCWC

Elizabeth had been doing a decent job of keeping Hope in the dark about the situation with her baby brother. She tried to busy her mind implementing some of the solutions she'd found online to return Hope's hair to his original state. She glanced out the bathroom window, noticing the setting sun. It was almost nine o'clock and little Liam was out there somewhere, frightened and tired. She shivered.

'What's wrong?' Hope asked as she examined the results of the last attempt in the mirror. As if peeling an onion, the hair dye was disappearing in stages, her hair now more brown than… whatever that horrible colour had been.

'Nothing' El said, pouring another pitcher of water and vinegar over her goddaughter's head.

'How come they're not back yet?'

'I told you, your uncle Peter decided to take Liam out to eat. They must have gotten held up.'

The lie tasted bitter in her mouth but she continued with the task at hand. It would do no one any good to have two children upset instead of one.

WCWCWC

'What if he decides to hurt Beth?' Sara said as she sat up in the tiny living room, holding an ice pack to her cheek.

Neal leaned in, peeking underneath to check on the status of her injury. He winced at the sight of the bruise darkening. 'Beth's not your problem anymore' he said.

'But —'

'No buts babe' he said as he gently took the ice pack from her and replaced it with a fresh one. 'The guy's dangerous and the police are involved now. You've got to stay out of it.'

She looked down at his hand, running her fingers gently against his bruised knuckles. 'That's gotta hurt' she murmured, bringing his hand up to her lips for a soft kiss.

'Not as much as that' he replied, touching her cheek gently.

'I thought you were going to keep pummelling him until he passed out' she said quietly. 'For a guy who doesn't like to fight… that was pretty impressive.'

'How's your ankle?' Neal asked, changing the subject. Using his fists instead of his mind wasn't something he was particularly proud of.

'It'll be fine' she said with a shrug. 'As long as we don't go jogging for a couple of days.'

He smiled, a sad smile. 'Honey, you can't go around being a crusader like that… putting yourself at risk.'

'Well, I'll be honest. I would have much preferred if I'd had my baton with me.'

He shook his head in disbelief and Sara smiled. 'You came to my rescue' she said softly.

'Of course I did, not that you needed my help.'

'I always need your help' she murmured.

He settled in next to her on the couch and put his arms around her. 'I know what you were trying to do out there' he said cryptically.

'What?'

'I never pegged you as therapist material' he said.

'I just thought… maybe if I got him to open up about what he went through growing up, it might help him figure out what's going on.'

The sound of a car engine was heard outside the cottage and Neal stood, looking out the window towards the parking lot.

'She's leaving!' he announced, peeking behind the curtain.

'What?' Sara said, getting to her feet.

In the darkness, they could see Beth's silhouette as she walked down the short path towards a waiting cab.

'Where do you suppose she's going?' Sara whispered.

'Maybe she finally decided she'd had enough' he replied.

She looked around the room at all the packages Neal had brought in from the car. 'So this is my anniversary surprise?'

'Maybe I can try again tomorrow' he replied as he glanced at his phone.

'That's weird. Peter called. Twice. No message though' he commented as he brought the phone closer to his eyes. He scrolled down looking for his best friend's number.

'Wonder what he wants' he said as he connected.

TBC


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

The man had been driving around for what seemed like hours and Liam had no idea where they were or where they were headed. All he knew was that there were big buildings and stores and shops all around and all he wanted to do was go home to his mom and dad. The stranger had been nice enough up until they'd gotten back in the car after dinner and Liam had finally given in to the queasiness in his stomach that had been building since his excesses at Nathan's party. The movement of the car had caused the inevitable and he'd thrown up all over the front seat of the car. That's when the man had gotten nasty. He'd shouted at him, made him clean up the mess and moved him to the back seat where it was even darker than before.

Despite his mounting anxiety, fatigue had finally taken over and Liam had managed to cry himself to sleep. The car jerked to a stop, waking him and he came to, realizing that, alas, he hadn't been dreaming. Instead of his safe, warm bed he was sitting in a strange car with darkness all around him and the smell of vomit in the air. The man was still there in the driver's seat looking even meaner now that the sun had gone down.

'Time to get out of the car Liam' the man said.

As scared as he was of stepping out onto a strange, busy street, he was even more terrified of staying in the car. He struggled to open the passenger car door and Cornyn leaned over and gave him a hand.

'See that building?' he said pointing. 'Go in there and someone will help you.'

Liam stared back, eyes wide. He recognized that building, had visited several times with his dad. In some strange way, it gave him comfort; anything was better than staying in this car for a minute longer.

He stepped out, overwhelmed by the large foreboding buildings surrounding him. Pedestrians dotted the sidewalks, all of them wrapped up in their conversations and destinations. He took a few steps towards the building, not daring to look behind him at the car he'd just exited.

'Hey kid!' a man called out from the sidewalk. He sat on a cardboard box between two of the high rises, arms reaching out for Liam. His eyes were dark, his open mouth revealing a toothless grin.

Liam gasped at the sight of him and instantly peed his pants.

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Dillon McCray was a relatively new employee at the Federal Plaza Building in Manhattan. He'd been hired five months ago to man the main desk at the entrance of the building. With Bureau employees working all hours of the day and night, someone was always stationed at the main door, granting access to visitors and staff alike. Thus far, Dillon had been assigned the Monday to Friday overnight slot, eight to eight - a straight twelve hours. The day shift was shared by two older employees, a woman by the name of Olive and a grey-haired man named Otis who'd soon be celebrating forty years on the job. Weekends and holidays, the desk was manned by casual staff, leaving the night shift for the newest recruit.

It had taken a while to get used to working nights but he was finally getting the hang of it - a large breakfast when he got off work in the morning, a solid six hours of sleep followed by a hearty meal when he woke. Sometimes he would visit his mom before coming in to work or run a few errands, then it was off to the first real job he'd ever had. He'd been freelancing for various security firms for the last couple of years but this job… well, it came with perks. As an employee of the federal government, he would soon be eligible for benefits, something he'd been looking forward to. He'd finally be able to get that bothersome tooth looked at and he'd be able to resume taking that expensive pain medication for the knee he'd injured playing football back in high school. And who knew, maybe someday he'd be 'promoted' to the day shift and start having a normal life again.

As the first line of defence for security in the building, the young man took his job very seriously. He'd been trained to use a gun and carried one at all times and he had the NYPD on speed dial in case of any unforeseen emergencies - which, luckily, he'd yet to have come up against.

He'd made it his business to get to know all the faces he only glimpsed at for a few seconds every day. The names would take a little longer. The FBI occupied the whole building and he'd learned just how huge the federal agency was with its many departments - to say nothing of the countless visitors that stepped through those doors on a daily basis. Some occupants were friendly, always with a 'good day' or a smile while others seemed too preoccupied or just plain too self-involved to bother to glance his way. He tried to learn their names too.

Most of his shift was spent doing crossword puzzles, something he credited with expanding his vocabulary. Just because he didn't have much of a formal education didn't mean he couldn't keep learning. Staff and visitors were much fewer overnight although at any given time, there was always some overzealous staff working somewhere in the building.

The sound of the street door was heard opening with the familiar swoosh of air being sucked in. He glanced up to see a woman he recognized from human resources and he looked up, preparing to greet her with a welcoming smile. What was her name again?

'Good evening Dillon' she chirped as she took out her access card and prepared to swipe.

'Working late tonight ma'am?' he said, still searching his memory for her name. If she'd bothered to learn his name, the least he could do was address her by hers.

'Interviews…' she replied. 'You should have the list of candidates right there.'

He looked around his desk, locating the list of visitors expected over the next few hours. 'Got it right here.'

She slipped through the turnstile and waved.

'Have a good night, Ms. Harrison' he said, as the name miraculously popped into his head.

He'd returned to his puzzle — 5 down _'treat in a way that is apparently kind or helpful but that betrays a feeling of superiority,_ nine letters, second letter a, fourth letter r — when he heard another, weaker sound of swishing air. He looked up. The door opened a few inches and closed again and he squinted, trying to get a better look at who was standing on the other side. The darkness of the early summer night contrasting with the indoor lighting made the task practically impossible. Another aborted attempt and another swoosh of air and this time, he slipped off his stool to get a better look.

'Well, I'll be darned' he said under his breath as he glanced outside.

The sight of the little boy was like an apparition - not something one expected to find on the sidewalk in front of the Federal Plaza at 9:42 p.m. on a Wednesday night. Upon closer examination, Dillon could see tears pouring down the child's face. He was no more than three and a half feet tall and his likely weight of forty or so pounds made it impossible for him to open the heavy glass door without the air sucking it closed.

Dillon took a look up and down the sidewalk before opening the door. There wasn't an adult in sight.

'Hey little fellow, what are you doing out there all alone?' he asked.

The dirty blond boy with huge green eyes looked up and Dillon could see his bottom lip quivering. It was mid June but the night was cool for someone who was wearing nothing but a t-shirt and a pair of cotton pants.

'I peed myself' the boy said with a whimper.

'Oh no!' the man said, taking his hand. A lingering odour of spit up overcame his nostrils and he winced. 'Come on in here and we'll see what we can do.'

The child decided he was all done with being scared for tonight and took the young man's hand, following him inside.

'How did you get here, little guy?'

He shrugged and wiped his cheek.

'Come on, you cold?' Dillon asked.

The boy nodded as Dillon led him behind the main desk, laying a blanket they kept for those cold winter nights on one of the stools and sitting the boy on top. He brought the blanket up to cover his shoulders.

'You thirsty?' he asked as he reached for his lunch bag and pulled out a juice box.

The child shook his head. 'I think maybe my uncle works here' he said softly as he looked around.

'What's your uncle's name?'

'Uncle Peter.'

'Uncle Peter…' the man repeated as his eyes went to his computer screen and called up the list of all staff working in the building. An initial search of employees by first name produced forty-three Peters and he sighed.

'You don't happen to know his last name, do you?'

The child shivered and tears began to pour onto his cheeks once more. Whatever had brought him here had been traumatic and it was obvious he wasn't functioning on all cylinders.

'I know…' Dillon said to himself as he began to search the long list of employees who were still signed in as being in the building. He ran his finger down the list. One hundred and eighteen people including visitors were still in the building at this late hour including three Peters.

'Maybe if I say some names, you'll remember' he said to the child who was staring ahead as if in a trance.

'How about Peter McLaren? Could that be your uncle?' he asked as the boy shook his head.

'How about Lindsay? Could that be your uncle's name? Peter Lindsay?'

He was beginning to wonder if he shouldn't just call the police when his eyes rested on the third one: that nice man from the 21st floor who always said hello to him by name. Special Agent Peter Burke.

He took a deep breath. 'Peter Burke?'

The boy's eyes lit up and he nodded. 'That's my uncle Peter' he said.

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'So, what did she say?' Peter was quizzing Jones on his little trip out to the burger joint in the Bronx.

'She confirmed it was Liam. They came in at around 5:45. The guy ordered a burger but she said the kid didn't eat anything. At one point, Liam said something about the man not being his father. She said the whole thing was weird but you know… kids.'

'And she ID'd Cornyn?'

'Yup, they left at about 6:30 but no one saw what direction they were headed.'

Peter got agitated and slammed his hand on his desk. 'Damn it! They could be anywhere by now.'

There was a bit of a commotion as Diana rushed up the stairs towards the office.

'Peter!' she shouted. 'I just got a call from the security guard on duty downstairs. He needs us to come down right away.'

She was already on her way back down with Peter following close behind. In the distance, he heard his cell phone buzzing on his desk but continued his descent, trying to catch up to Diana who was already standing by the elevator.

'What's going on?' he asked as they both stepped in.

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'No answer…' Neal said, putting down his phone. 'I guess he'll call back if it's important.'

Sara was still staring out the window as the cab disappeared into the night. 'I wonder what happened?'

'Look at me!' Neal's hands were instantly on her shoulders, forcing her to look at him. 'That's enough. You've had a horrible experience today and like I said, we've got to let the police do their job.'

Her eyes met his, worried. 'What if he presses charges…'

Neal shook his head. That was the least of his worries. His wife had been whisked away against her will and had suffered physical harm at the hands of a violent abuser. He'd acted in self defence and if Brett wanted to drag his name through the mud, he was welcome to do so. Neal would have no trouble defending his actions. Seeing Sara standing there safe and sound was all he cared about. He pressed his lips to her forehead and exhaled.

'Can we maybe do one thing for our anniversary so I can put a smile back on your face?'

She forced a smile and brought her arms around his waist, curling up against his chest.

'I know…' he said, his voice quiet.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out the pocket knife hidden there. 'I've been carrying this damn thing around all day.'

'What for?'

He took her hand and led her to the door of the cottage, opening it wide. He lifted the pocket knife to eye level, his eyes sparkling.

'It's time we add a couple of initials to that lilac tree outside' he said, flicking the light switch by the door and lighting up the porch. Sara's worries seemed to melt away as she took his outstretched hand and followed him out.

'You want to do the honours?' he asked as he handed her the small knife.

She leaned over the handrail as he held her waist to keep her from losing her balance.

'What are their names again?' she teased as she prepared to carve a perfect H and L under their own two initials. She added a heart around each of the letters and smiled back at Neal who was busy examining her handiwork.

'Perfect' he murmured in her ear.

She gasped as he reached around, sweeping her off the ground and up into his arms.

'What are you doing, you big goof?'

'I'm carrying my beautiful bride over the threshold' he said, eyes glued to hers.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and hung on tight. She'd never needed anyone to protect her or to speak up for her and yet, having Neal in her life made everything better, brighter, warmer, sweeter.

'Happy anniversary Caffrey' she said, her voice breaking.

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It took forever for the elevator doors to open onto the ground floor. All they'd been told was that a child asking for his uncle Peter had appeared at the main doors of the office building. Was it Liam? Was he hurt? Scared? Traumatized? Had Cornyn finally finished toying with them?

He and Diana held their breath as the doors opened and they stepped into the lobby. Liam spotted them and struggled to slip off the stool he'd been occupying.

'Uncle Peter!' he cried out as he ran straight into his arms.

Peter exhaled loudly, his arms tightening around the young boy's body. 'Liam! Are you all right?'

Liam's eyes filled with tears for the third time in the past few minutes. 'I peed my pants' he confessed, remorseful.

Peter let out a loud sigh followed by a nervous chuckle. 'Oh buddy, that's okay… that's okay.'

He pulled back and began to examine his nephew, touching his face, his arms, his legs. 'Are you hurt? Did he hurt you?'

Liam shook his head. 'Just scared' he admitted. 'He wouldn't bring me home.'

Peter reached out and pulled him to his chest once more, held him so tight Liam began to squirm. The faint odour of throw up filled the air but Peter couldn't have cared less.

'He said the safe word. I mean he said he knew the safe word but I think I'm the one who said it out loud.'

'That's okay buddy. None of this is your fault.'

He took a moment and looked up at Diana who stood there watching the happy reunion. 'Go call off the amber alert but have them keep the BOLO out on Cornyn. I want him brought in here.'

She nodded and headed back to the elevator to carry out his orders. Peter took Liam's hand and walked him over to a small sitting area in the lobby. He lifted him onto his lap as Liam squirmed.

'But I peed my pants' he reminded his uncle.

'I don't care about that' Peter said, feeling wetness seeping through his pants. He hugged him again as Liam finally began to relax in his arms.

'What's this?' Peter asked as he looked down at Liam's t-shirt where a note had been pinned.

Liam looked down. 'I don't know…'

The piece of paper was removed and unfolded; a note meant for Neal.

_Was that enjoyable for you? Your little boy and I had a great time. Might even do it again soon. In the meantime, I'd keep my eyes open Caffrey. Not done with you yet. A friend._

Peter reread it a second time and his mind returned to Neal - who was still thankfully oblivious to the events of the last several hours.

'I'm tired' came Liam's voice. 'And I'm hungry.'

'We'll get you something to eat… Did he hurt you? Did he… touch you?'

Liam shook his head. 'He was nice in the beginning, he said you sent him to pick me up but he was lying.'

'Yes he was' Peter said breathlessly.

'Then he got mad because I threw up in the car.' He looked up at his uncle Peter. 'Why did he make me stay with him?'

'He was mad at your daddy and he took it out on you. He knew we would all be upset if he took you away… you're sure he didn't hurt you?'

'No… he just scared me.'

Peter smiled in relief. The last five hours had been some of the worst of his life.

'Where were you? Where did he take you?'

'He made me go to a restaurant and watch him eat and then he drove around everywhere but I didn't know where we were and I didn't know how to get away from him.'

'Then what?'

'I woke up and he told me to get out and come to the building. I remembered it from when Daddy brought me here to visit… and that nice man let me in.'

Peter glanced over at the security guard who was pretending to work on his crossword puzzle.

'He helped me find you. I couldn't remember your last name' he admitted as tears returned.

Peter kept smiling, running his hand through Liam's hair. 'That's okay, sometimes we forget things when we're upset. Some days I can't even remember my own name.'

Liam laughed through the tears and put his head down on his uncle's chest. Peter felt the weight of him, the warm gentle feel of him.

'What do you say we go home and see Hope and Aunt Elizabeth?'

He felt Liam nodding against him. He sat there a moment, just holding him, his heart returning to its normal rhythm. It took but a minute for Liam to fall asleep, exhausted.

Peter looked over at Dillon and mouthed a 'thank you' as the man gave him a thumbs up. Then he returned to holding the little guy in his arms, afraid to let him go.

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Sara had nodded off the moment her head had hit the pillow. It was no surprise considering her earlier ordeal. Whatever was hurting was going to hurt an awful lot more in the morning. Neal had taken stock of all the supplies he'd purchased for her surprise dinner and promised her an alternate version for breakfast the next morning.

He settled in the king size bed next to her, sharing his time between the TV screen and reassuring glances in her direction as she slept. The news came on and he turned up the volume a little in order to catch the weather for the next day - their last day before returning to the old homestead.

The first image to flash onto the screen caused him to gasp and he turned his attention to the screen, sitting up with his mouth hanging open. There, filling the screen was a photograph of his son, his kindergarten picture taken just a few months back.

_'Good news for a little boy from White Plains tonight following an amber alert earlier this evening. Liam Caffrey, five years old, was found unharmed after being taken from a friend's birthday party earlier this afternoon. No details are available on the reason for the abduction but the child has been returned to his family safe and sound to the relief of authorities.'_

The image of Liam's face disappeared as fast as it had appeared and the newscast moved on to its next news story. Neal was up, a look of terror on his face. How could this have been happening without he and Sara knowing a thing about it? He glanced in her direction one last time and seeing her peacefully asleep, he grabbed his phone and headed outside, dialling Peter's number as he went. His heart pounded in his chest as it had earlier in the day, overwhelming fear that someone he loved might be in danger. Surprisingly, he felt anger building at being blindsided.

'Neal…' came Peter's voice.

He surprised himself with the intensity in his voice. 'What the hell is going on?'

TBC


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

Love.

Such a small word for one that carries so much meaning. Neal Caffrey had long ago convinced himself he knew everything there was to know about it.

As a little boy, he'd loved his mom and dad. They took care of his needs both physical and emotional until … well, their beautiful family life crashed and burned after his dad disappeared and his mom was left to pick up the pieces. It had been a first brutal lesson in love - that sometimes along with love comes pain and disappointment.

Then came puppy love. As a young boy, Neal had experienced his fair share of infatuations. That redhead girl in third grade who used to smile at him over her shoulder and of course his unrequited love for Mrs. Cooper, his first grade teacher with the aquamarine eyes, flawless skin and blond flowing curls. It was a pure and idyllic kind of love, one that wasn't tainted with practicalities and complications. But still, in young Neal's eyes, it was love. And it was nice.

After puppy love came the delusion that sex equaled love. Those teenage hormones had awakened strange sensations in his nether regions and had demanded to be attended to. After his deflowering in the back room of a pool hall, Neal had gradually become aware of the charismatic effect he had on women and had taken full advantage of his newly discovered attributes. There'd been a fair number of conquests, some satisfying, others not so much. In some cases, he actually felt a stirring located a little higher than his waist and wondered about those. Love?

As a young adult in a strange new city, he'd exploited his newly discovered talents to do lots of naughty things - especially after meeting the little man with the glasses in Madison Square Park. Often times, their operations required some flirting - or perhaps a little more - which suited Neal just fine. He 'loved' women, all women, all shapes and sizes and if one of their little adventures required him to mix business with pleasure, he was all for it. After all, what woman would ever complain about being charmed and conquered by a man the likes of Steve Tabernacle… or Nick Halden… or Gary Rydell… or James Maine… to name but a few. Most of the time, the feelings were just as phoney as the aliases, leaving Neal Caffrey feeling unfulfilled as he continued on his search for the real thing.

Then came Kate Moreau. She was everything he'd ever imagined and more: sweet, beautiful, innocent, pure. And Neal fell hard. He wanted to give her the world and she was only too happy to let him try. For the first time in his life, he allowed himself to dream of a future complete with the traditional white picket fence.

But alas, it was not to be and her sudden and tragic death left him totally gutted. Getting over her had taken time, a long, long time. Neal had allowed himself to wallow, to imagine what his life might have been with their two point two kids, their obedient chocolate Lab and regular Saturday morning visits to the local Home Depot. It was only after she'd been gone awhile that he came to the realization that it had all been a mirage. Kate had 'loved' him for what he could give her and not for who he was or more importantly, who he longed to be. Her voracious appetite for all things pretty and shiny could only have ended one way - with Neal in the slammer and Thursday afternoon conjugal visits for years to come.

It became another hard lesson from the book of love and Neal briefly returned to fleeting and unsatisfying liaisons. But even those were few and far between and more importantly, they were impractical with that ever-present reminder of his status as ward of the state hanging around his ankle.

Then one sunny Tuesday afternoon, she'd walked back into his life.

Sara Ellis.

God, he hated her! Her testimony at his trial had practically sealed his fate and here she was again being her old, self-righteous, annoying self. He'd done his best to get along with her for the sake of the case they were working, sucked up to her to get that blasted report from the FAA. She was smart though, smarter than he'd given her credit for and, like Peter, Neal had always liked 'smart'. He'd begun to realize that, like all successful cons, his bogus flirtations with the woman held a tiny kernel of truth. When she wasn't banging on about that damn Raphael, she was fun to be with; she was refined, cultured, shrewd, sexy, witty and she didn't mind colouring outside the lines every once in a while. But best of all, when it came to Sara Ellis, he didn't have to pretend to be anyone but himself and surprise, surprise she seemed to like him just fine the way he was.

These days, it would always make him laugh when he was asked if it had been love at first sight between him and his wife. Nothing could be further from the truth. It had been a slow burn, just like peeling an onion and discovering layer after layer, each one surprising and wonderful.

It was hard to know when the tides turned exactly. Things between them had evolved so gradually. There was the playful banter and the shameless flirtations and by the time the Adler case rolled around, they fell into bed, gladly scratching each other's itch and Neal found he was enjoying her company more and more. But Sara had made it abundantly clear that she would only put up with so much of his funny business. Although she enjoyed the odd adventure, she refused to step definitively over the line and for a long time, the couple agreed to keep their relationship on the 'friends with benefits' plane, a comfortable middle ground they could both live with.

But despite his resolve to keep things casual, Neal's feelings for her began to deepen around the time he and Mozzie had begun planning their getaway to Cape Verde. For weeks, Neal had entertained the notion of asking her to come with them as it gradually dawned on him just how much space she occupied in his thoughts and in his heart. But Mozzie's dire warnings about life on the run being incompatible with monogamy had convinced him to give it a pass.

Looking back, he couldn't quite remember the exact moment he'd fallen in love with her. Maybe it was when she'd moved in temporarily and he'd started looking forward to waking up with her by his side every morning or maybe it was when she'd willingly agreed to help Scott Rivers return that bustier or perhaps it was that night in Diana's apartment when she'd helped him pull a Wally Burns without knowing what he was really up to. He'd been surprised at the way his heart had tightened in his chest when he'd seen that picture of her with Bryan McKenzie and on the night of June's 75th birthday, without warning, those three little words slipped out of his mouth, taking them both down the road to a new adventure, one they'd never seen coming.

Neal figured he'd finally come to the end of the road in his search for love and that he would never again experience feelings as deep and intense as the ones he felt for his wife. The day they were married in June's garden, his heart had been full to overflowing with love for her. Since then, he'd seen her at her best and at her worst and still, he woke every morning with a smile on his face because she was there by his side. And so, Neal concluded that the long tortuous road that had been his lessons in love had taught him all there was to know about the subject.

But he'd been wrong.

The love he felt for his wife was deep and abiding but it had not prepared him for the overwhelming love he would eventually feel for his children. It was the kind of love that was in a league all its own, an all-encompassing, fierce, soul crushing love that he'd never imagined himself capable of. The kind of love that made everything pale in comparison. That overpowering need to keep his offspring safe from all the evil in the world, to protect their innocence for as long as he could. He'd heard the analogy about how having kids was like having your heart grow legs and walk around on the outside your body. He'd never quite understood it until his children had been placed in his arms for the first time.

From that moment, he'd begun to see life through their eyes, full of wonder and curiosity. Two perfect tiny human beings who didn't care about his past misdeeds or the fact that he'd sat in a jail cell for the better part of four years. They looked up to him as if the sun shone out of his ass and there was nothing he could ever do to disappoint them. It had become his life mission to live up to their unconditional love and he would willingly give his life for them - another cliché he'd never understood before they'd come along.

Love… so many manifestations. But above all else, his love for his children was so intense, so fierce that the thought of them suffering in any way was unbearable. The moment Hope had taken her first breath, he'd fallen head over heels in love. He'd been even more surprised when it happened all over again with Liam as if his heart had just doubled in size to contain the love he had for the two of them.

And now, Liam had needed him and he hadn't been there. It tore at his heart with a pain so vivid, so deep it physically hurt.

'What the fuck is going on?' he repeated into the phone. 'I just saw Liam's face on television!'

He took a shaky breath, trying to keep his voice in check. Sara was sleeping just a few feet away and if he could spare her the kind of distress he was feeling, he was all for it.

There was a stutter on the other end of the line. 'He's… he's fine Neal' Peter said.

'He's fine? What do you mean, fine? I just found out my son has been missing most of the day and nobody bothered to tell us!'

'I know, I know. I'm sorry. I tried to call a couple of times.'

'What? You couldn't leave a message?' Neal replied angrily.

'I didn't think —'

Neal interrupted, he was about to burst. 'Just… just tell me what the hell's going on.'

He heard Peter exhale. 'Cornyn… he showed up at that birthday party Liam was at and he passed himself off as me.'

'How did that happen? Didn't Nathan's parents recognize you?'

Peter's breath grew ragged as the interrogation continued. 'El dropped him off and said I'd be picking him up but there was a miscommunication between Nathan's parents.'

Neal did his best to listen, his hands shaking as he held the phone.

'I got there about five minutes later… I'm sorry Neal.'

'Did he hurt him?' Neal's voice creaked.

'No, he doesn't have a scratch on him. We had him checked out…'

'How… how long was he missing?'

'A little over four hours.'

Neal held his head in his hand as he listened. 'Are you sure he didn't… touch him?'

'No, Liam said he just drove around and that he finally fell asleep.'

Neal could feel a monster headache building behind his eyes and rubbed his temple. 'Did you arrest him?'

Peter hesitated. 'Not yet. He dropped Liam off at the front door of the Federal Plaza…'

'He what?'

'He told him to get out of the car and walk up to the building. Our night guy saw him standing out there.'

It was probably best to keep to the broad strokes. Neal didn't need to know his little boy had been standing there shivering and terrified when he was found. At least not yet.

'Where is he? I need to talk to him' Neal blurted out.

'Neal, he's asleep. He's safe in his bed.'

'I don't care…' Neal began before realizing how ridiculous he sounded. If Liam had fallen asleep, waking him and cross examining him was a stupid idea. 'Okay, okay fine. We'll be there by the time he wakes up in the morning.'

'What? No, don't do that.'

Neal's anger began to bubble to the surface again. 'Are you fucking nuts? You think Sara and I want to spend a day relaxing at the beach after what you just told me?'

Peter cleared his throat, unsure what to say. 'Yeah… I suppose…'

'Sara's asleep, she had a rough day today' Neal said, not giving any details. 'I'm going to get us packed and we'll be on our way.'

Peter opened his mouth to speak but the line went dead. And he felt his heart sink.

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'El?' Peter called out as he came upstairs.

He peeked into Liam's room and found her there, sitting on the edge of his bed, watching him sleep. She brought her finger to her lips and stood, joining him in the hallway.

'Shhh' she whispered as she closed his bedroom door and headed across to their current bedroom.

It was almost eleven and Peter was still walking around in his suit and tie. He let himself fall on the edge of the bed and pulled off his shoes. He looked totally done in.

'How'd it go with Neal?' Elizabeth asked as she climbed up on the bed behind him and rubbed his shoulders.

'He's pissed off' he replied. 'Can you blame him? He and Sara are having a perfectly nice holiday and he turns on the TV and sees Liam's face. I'd be mad at me too.'

'I'm sure he was just reacting in the moment. Your priority was to find Liam and once you did, you didn't want to take your eyes off him. When he calms down, he'll understand that.'

He turned and raised his eyebrows, disbelieving. 'This should have never happened. If only I'd gotten there five minutes earlier…'

'Honey, don't start. This Cornyn guy was obviously watching, waiting to pounce.'

Peter got up, removed his jacket, his tie, his shirt. 'Neal and Sara trusted us with their kids and this happens' he moaned.

'If I know Neal, he's probably kicking himself for getting mad at you. He just found out his little boy was taken and he wasn't there to keep it from happening. He's probably just upset with himself for not being here.'

Peter shrugged. Hopefully El was right and the two of them would talk this out when the dust finally settled.

'They're on their way home' Peter announced.

'Really?' She glanced at the clock. 'They'll be back before the sun's up. I'm setting the alarm for five. I want to be up and ready with a pot of coffee when they get here.'

Peter nodded in agreement. 'Then I have to tell Neal about this note' he said, holding up the piece of paper. 'This guy's totally off his rocker. Who knows what he's capable of.'

Elizabeth stared as he grabbed for a shirt and pants instead of his usual pyjamas.

To the unspoken question he replied. 'I want to be ready to go when Jones calls… when they've located that rental he was driving.'

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The dim light by the bedside glowed as Neal worked in silence. He glanced at Sara, relieved to find she was still sound asleep, her face increasingly distorted by the bruise on her cheek. There was no point in waking her until he'd finished packing; she needed rest to recuperate from her own trauma. As far as he was concerned, the longer he could put off telling her about Liam, the better. He placed the stack of clothes he was carrying into the open suitcase and stepped into the bathroom to collect their toiletries.

'Neal?' he heard her call out from the other room.

He returned to the bedroom, placing the armful of toiletries in the open suitcase on his side of the bed.

'Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you' he murmured as he sat next to her.

He gently ran his hand through her hair and looked into her relaxed face. Sadly, he was about to bring her back to reality with a thud.

'How are you feeling babe? How's your head?'

'Okay…' she said, looking around her. 'What's going on? Why are you packing?'

He swallowed and exhaled. He'd been rehearsing the conversation in his head ever since he'd hung up from talking to Peter. Hopefully, he could keep her from having the same horrible sinking feeling he'd suffered when he'd seen their son's face plastered on the TV screen an hour earlier.

'I think we should head home' he began.

'Wha —' Sara opened her mouth to speak but he cut her off.

'First off, the kids are fine…' he began slowly, needing to get that all important piece of information out of the way. 'But something happened earlier with Liam and I think we should get home tonight.'

She was sitting up now, her previously relaxed face contorted. 'Why? What… what happened with Liam?'

'He's fine… he's safe but…'

He decided he had to bite the bullet, pull off the band-aid. There was no way to sugar coat this. 'Honey, Cornyn passed himself off as Peter and picked Liam up after Nathan's birthday party this afternoon.'

'What? You mean he kidnapped him?'

Neal shook his head - the word 'kidnapping' was just too jarring to hear. As angry as he'd been with Peter a few moments before, he needed to put the best face he could on what had happened.

'Peter says he drove around with Liam in the car just long enough to trigger an amber alert and create chaos.'

He could hear Sara's shaky breath. 'Oh my god!'

'Sara, look at me. He's fine, he's home and he's safe. Cornyn didn't hurt him, he just scared him.'

'But why…'

'The guy's fucking looney tunes that's why and he probably wanted to freak me out.'

Sara threw the blankets off and got to her feet, heading for the dresser where she'd hung some of her clothes. He watched as she faltered, her ankle still tender.

'Careful' he admonished as he followed her.

'Did you talk to him?' she asked over her shoulder as she started searching for her phone.'

'Honey, I… I don't want to freak him out. Peter says he's sound asleep in his bed.'

She turned to face him, a painful frown across her forehead. 'How could we not know this was happening?'

Neal shrugged and returned to stuffing clothes into his suitcase but despite his best intentions, he could feel the resentment building. 'Peter says he tried to call us but didn't want to leave a message.'

She picked up on the anger in his voice. 'You're angry…' she stated.

When he spoke, his voice was full of emotion. 'Damn it Sara, they had an amber alert out on him. Can you imagine if we'd turned on the radio and heard about it without a heads up?'

'How did you find out?'

'They had something about it on the late news - that the little boy who'd been missing had been returned home.'

Again, he couldn't contain his anger. 'Peter should have called the minute they found out he was missing!'

Sara started working as fast as she could, throwing clothes into her suitcase. All she wanted was to get home as soon as possible. 'Well it's not like we were sitting around taking calls this afternoon —'

'I DON'T CARE!' Neal shouted, so loud that she was startled. So much for trying not to upset his wife. 'He should have… he should have told us.'

She walked over to where he stood, his toiletry bag in his hands. 'Are you telling me the truth? Is he _really _all right?'

He nodded but didn't speak. 'That's not the point' he murmured under his breath.

Their eyes met and Neal opened his arms to her. She whimpered softly and he rubbed her back, his self-control gradually returning. They stood there, bodies fused with thoughts of their little boy who was miles away.

She pulled away and looked into his eyes. 'I want to go home' she murmured.

He nodded. 'I'll get this stuff to the car, you do one last check okay?'

Sara tapped herself on the forehead. 'I was supposed to go to the police station in the morning…'

He kissed her forehead. 'We'll worry about that later. Hurry up and get dressed.'

TBC


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

The rain started shortly after they crossed the border into Massachusetts. It started out gentle and fitful then quickly grew heavy and steady, forcing Neal to keep his speed below the prescribed limit. Luckily there were very few cars on the road at 1:30 on a Thursday morning.

Except for going over the details of his conversation with Peter, Neal and Sara hadn't spoken much since they'd gotten in the car. The radio was set to a soft jazz station and they held hands as he drove. Every few minutes, he felt her hand grow limp in his as the monotonous rain and fatigue conspired to lull Sara to sleep and despite her best efforts she seemed to be losing the battle. He felt her startle as she bolted up in her seat.

'Honey, why don't you just stop fighting it and have a nap?' he suggested.

'No. I want to keep you company' she murmured, her voice slurred.

'You're probably dealing with a mild concussion from when you hit your head. Don't fight it babe, close your eyes.'

'Nnnno' she garbled. 'Don't wanna…'

Neal let out a soft chuckle. Her eyes were already closed. He returned his focus to the road up ahead and ramped up the speed of the windshield wipers one more notch. He replayed his conversation with Peter, realizing how quick he'd been to anger. Too quick he wondered? Knowing his best friend as he did, there was no doubt Peter had been agonizing about the events which had transpired under his watch. And yet Neal's anger lingered… anger at not being told about Liam's disappearance the moment it happened, anger at not having been there to help with the search, anger at not being there when his son needed comforting the most.

Liam was a sweet and gentle soul. Unlike his sister, he was quiet and introspective and he tended to take his time processing things. Hope was a lot more 'in your face' about her feelings — not unlike her mother. And yet when she'd been abducted by Matthew Keller a few years back, it had taken months for her to recover. Throughout her three day ordeal, she'd shown incredible strength and courage; she'd even been instrumental in pointing them in the direction of the abandoned building where Keller had been holding her. But in the weeks and months that followed, there'd been somewhat of a backlash. For a time, she'd grown sullen, fearful of the dark and had spent more than a few nights in her parents' bed, seeking comfort. Even nowadays, she still reacted with caution when meeting new people, especially men.

How would a sensitive little boy like Liam react to such an ordeal? Of course, he'd only been separated from El and Peter for a short time but a couple of hours would seem endless to a five-year-old boy. To top it off, his mom and dad had been miles away, leaving him even more distressed. Had he been traumatized? How would his anxiety manifest itself? Again, anger rose in Neal's chest. He'd been deprived of being there to help Liam cope with the immediate fallout from the traumatic experience. Except for telling him that his son had landed on the doorstep of the FBI building, Peter had been cryptic about the details of how Liam had seemed when they'd recovered him. Had he been crying? Upset? Scared? In shock?

He sighed loudly and glanced at Sara. She seemed sound asleep, her head propped up against the passenger car door. She had to be exhausted to let herself drift off like that under such trying circumstances. He'd been surprised at how well she was handling all this, a contrast to his over the top reaction on the phone with Peter. Of course she hadn't had the shock of seeing their son's face appear on TV with the words '_amber alert_' but like him, she was beyond worried although she was managing to refrain from falling apart. Somehow she was finding the strength to stick to their agreed upon arrangement when it came to their children: in times of worry, only one of them was allowed to fall apart at a time.

The silky voice of Al Jarreau came on the radio and Neal concentrated on relaxing his shoulders. They were still far from home and he'd been forced to slow down a little as the rain continued to pound the pavement. He hummed softly, hoping to occupy his mind.

'Hey…' came Sara's quiet voice from the other side of the car. 'You want me to take over for a while?'

Neal glanced in her direction and smiled. 'I thought for sure you were a goner' he replied.

'Just resting my eyes. You want to take a break?'

Blinding headlights shone onto their windshield as a car passed and Neal frowned, shielding his eyes.

'Asshole' he muttered under his breath, uncharacteristically annoyed. 'Can't even bother to turn down his brights.'

She could sense the anxiety in his voice. 'Neal, I'm serious. Why don't we switch for a while… just for an hour. And then you can take over if you want.'

He felt the tension in his neck and rubbed it absentmindedly. 'I'm fine.'

'I beg to differ. You're a mess Caffrey. You're exhausted and you're pissed off. Do you really want to be losing your shit in front of Liam?'

He grunted and rubbed his temple. The nagging headache was gaining on him.

Sara pulled out one of her most lethal weapons: her bossy pants voice. 'Come on' she said, pointing to a rest stop up ahead. 'Pull in there and we can use the bathroom. I could use a coffee and then I want you to close your eyes and rest for a while.'

He was exhausted. Not so much physically but… the shock of seeing his wife being shoved around combined with finding out his precious son had been forcefully taken away had drained him of all energy. The thought of resting his eyes was tempting and besides, he had very little in the way of a comeback whenever she used that tone of voice.

How could their perfect little holiday have turned into such a fucking mess?

WCWCWC

Peter grumbled. He should be back at the office, coordinating the search for Dwight Cornyn.

The only reason he'd come home in the first place was to get Liam settled. Once the little guy had appeared at the door of the Federal Building seemingly unharmed, the first order of business had been to get him looked at by a physician to make sure he was okay. Liam had been exhausted from his ordeal and had fallen asleep in Peter's arms by the time a social worker had come down to the ER - another part of the protocol following a child's disappearance. Liam had been largely uncooperative considering he could barely keep his eyes open and the woman had suggested a follow-up home visit to check up on him. There was a handout of advice for parents of children recuperating from a traumatic event and some forms for parents who wanted additional support.

Knowing Liam as he did, Peter was able to determine that he was acting pretty well like his old self. So they'd gotten him something to eat and they had tended to his soiled pants which seemed to be a major focus of embarrassment for the little guy. With any other victim, Peter would have just turned the child over to his parents and remained at the office for phase two. But he was playing both roles at the moment and his priority had been to get Liam home to Elizabeth and into his warm, comfortable bed. El was being stoic as always but he'd taken the time to get her settled as well, lying in bed with her for a few moments, fully clothed and waiting for news from his team on the search front.

'I'm okay' Elizabeth murmured to her husband as they lay face to face.

'I don't want to leave you in case he wakes up and gets upset' Peter confessed.

'Honey, I know you're dying to get back out there and find this creep.'

Peter didn't deny it.

'Go on, go' she insisted with a gentle shove. 'We'll be fine.'

He shrugged.

'Peter you're not doing anybody any good lying here thinking about it.'

'I've still got a car parked out front watching the house' he reminded her. 'Not that I expect him to come back.'

Elizabeth nodded. 'Go on, we'll be fine. Neal and Sara will be home in a few hours.'

Peter's thoughts returned to his best friend. His last conversation with Neal had been upsetting for both of them and he was looking forward to debriefing in the morning. Neal would have a lot more questions and Peter needed to brief both him and Sara about their late night visit to the hospital.

'You're sure?' he asked.

'I'm sure. I know how it'll drive you crazy to just lie here and wait. Go on honey, go do what you do best.'

He smiled weakly and kissed her before standing and checking himself one last time in the mirror. And then he was off.

WCWCWC

_There was a big puddle at his feet and he started to tremble. Everybody in the classroom was staring at him._

_'__Mrs. Johnson, Liam peed his pants' one of the kids called out._

_'__Liam peed his pants!' she repeated louder as some of the girls in the class giggled._

_Liam felt his cheeks redden, totally embarrassed by the turn of events._

_'__I'm sorry' he murmured, his voice unsteady._

_'__Here' the teacher said, appearing with a change of clothes. 'You can change here in front of everybody.'_

_Tears flowed down his cheeks, totally humiliated at the thought of everyone watching him. She patted him on the head. Meanwhile, all the boys and girls stood around in a circle, pointing to the puddle on the floor and laughing._

_'__Liam Caffrey is a baby' said one of the other boys._

_'__NO I'M NOT!' Liam cried out._

He woke to the sound of his own voice and sat up in the darkened room. That's when he noticed that the sheets he was lying in were soaked.

WCWCWC

Sara was relieved to find Neal hadn't protested much at all. He was always on her case about her driving skills which to her dismay and annoyance, he qualified as substandard. But he hadn't even cracked a joke about it when he'd gotten back in the car after their pee break. He'd just chased down a couple of Tylenol extra strength with a large swig of orange juice, grabbed a blanket from the back seat and positioned himself up against the passenger car door.

He was snoring within a couple of minutes. Once he was asleep, Sara helped herself to a couple of pain killers herself. Her face was still sore from that well placed left hook and contrary to earlier, she was wide awake. The rain had slowed to a few sputtering showers and the sky wasn't quite as dark as it had been just half an hour earlier as dawn neared. She checked the time. It was 4:38 and they still had a good hour and a half to go if she could maintain her speed slightly above 65 miles per hour - which was the upper limit of her comfort zone.

Liam was waiting on the other end and she bit her lip as she imagined him sad and upset. Personality wise, he was the total antithesis of his sister. He'd always been on the quiet side, happy to play by himself, to explore his toys, examine them, take them apart. He was cooperative, quiet and reflective, always observing the world around him with his big inquisitive green eyes.

Both she and Neal had noticed a change in him when he'd started school the previous fall. The separation between mother and son had been painfully difficult. For both of them. Liam was her baby, always had been, always would be. Perhaps because Sara had waited so long to get pregnant in the first place, she'd tended to dote on him and he, gentle soul that he was, wanted nothing more than to be coddled by his mother. It had all come back to bite Sara in the ass when he'd started school. He'd become clingy and mopey and she had even begun to worry he would never learn to adapt. Neal had encouraged her to leave it alone, to let him ease into the social setting at his own pace but Sara thought she knew better.

A smile came to her lips as she recalled Liam's first day of kindergarten just a few short months earlier. Parents had been invited to accompany their children into the classroom to help them settle. Liam had been happy enough to play at the Lego table while his mom was nearby but when the time came for Sara to leave, he'd latched on to her leg and refused to let go. After some gentle coaxing from the teacher, Sara had finally managed to disentangle herself from him and had given him a kiss goodbye as he begged her to stay. _'Be firm'_ the woman had said. _'Say goodbye and leave and I'll make sure he's okay.'_ Sara had grudgingly followed instructions and had stood outside the classroom door for a few minutes, sight unseen, to make sure he was all right. Once she'd disappeared from his sight, he seemed to make peace with his fate and she'd watched him settle at one of the tables in front of a puzzle of Caillou. Once reassured, she'd snuck away, making a quick detour at the grocery store on the way home where lo and behold, she found her son sitting on the doorstep, crying. Seemed Liam had inherited his dad's skills as an escape artist, slipping out of sight while the teacher had her back turned.

Nowadays, although he enjoyed school, Liam still moaned about leaving his mom in the morning and Neal had gotten into the habit of doing the school drop off in order to avoid all the over the top drama. And now, her little boy, her sweet gentle little Liam had been held against his will and she hadn't been there to keep it from happening. Neal was right; they needed to be there when he woke up. She pushed the pedal to the metal and the car jerked.

But Neal didn't even budge.

WCWCWC

'Where the hell is he?' Peter said, running his hand through his hair.

He was royally pissed. Not only had this guy managed to disappear with Liam, now he was playing hide and seek with them, further exacerbating Special Agent Peter Burke's anger and frustration.

'They found the car he'd rented. He dumped it in Queens.'

'And…' Peter said with a scorn.

Diana cringed. 'Nothing yet. He's either holed up somewhere in the area or he's taken off with another vehicle.'

Peter opened his mouth.

'Yes…' Diana interrupted, reading his mind. 'We've asked NYPD for any reports of stolen vehicles in that area. But at this time of night… it might be awhile before anyone reports their car missing.'

Peter slapped his desk with his open palm and cringed at the sting. He wanted this all wrapped up with a bow by the time Neal arrived. The only thing worse than facing Neal about what had happened with Liam was to have to tell him the guy was still running around, goading them.

'Boss, you're exhausted. Why don't you go back to Neal's place? We're doing all we can. There's nothing you can do here except worry. I promise we'll call as soon as he's located.'

Peter sighed. She had a point. He'd hated leaving Elizabeth on her own with the kids. What if Liam woke and was upset? And Hope… she'd been kept in the dark about what had happened to her brother but she would find out soon enough. Might what happened to Liam trigger traumatic memories of her own painful experience at the hands of Matthew Keller? Neal had mentioned that just before they'd left for their vacation, she'd been worried something might happen to her dad. Finding out her baby brother had been abducted might just throw her into a tailspin.

'Even if it's just a sighting…' Peter said with a scornful look.

'Promise. Go… please Peter.'

Not for the first time since his best friend had left town, Peter reflected on just how much was involved in caring for young children. Neal's reaction on the phone hadn't been so strange after all. But that was Monday morning quarterbacking and there was nothing he could do to change what had already happened. All he do from here on in was to be there for El and for the kids until their parents finally made it home.

WCWCWC

Sara flew by the exit for Bridgeport and checked the GPS. They were a little less than an hour away from home. Surprisingly, Neal was still snoring, his face buried in the blanket he'd wrapped himself in.

She turned down the music and let out a shaky breath as she thought of Beth. She realized with disappointment that she didn't even know the woman's last name. There would be no way to check up on her, to see if she was all right. Where had she been going like that in the middle of the night? Had she finally decided she'd had enough of her abusive husband? Perhaps the episode in the woods had been the final straw, the incident that pushed her over the edge. Although Beth had said she always refrained from calling the police, in this case, she'd been able to do for Sara what she hadn't been able to do for herself. She'd called the police and told the truth about her husband's violent behaviour. Was it because they were miles away from home and from Brett's colleagues? Or was it that she'd just come to the end of her tether?

Sara hoped with all her heart that Beth would be safe from him wherever she was headed. Maybe she had a friend or a sister she could stay with away from her domineering husband. She glanced at Neal once again and sighed. Not everyone had a thoughtful and caring husband to turn to.

A song came on the radio, one of the rat pack songs June loved and always played on her turntable. Sara began to hum along off key, catching herself before she woke Neal. But he didn't even stir. Fear, anger and good old plain fatigue had conspired to knock him right out.

WCWCWC

As calm as he'd been when he'd gone to bed, Liam was inconsolable as he lay in Elizabeth's arms.

'I want my mommy' he moaned, over and over again.

She'd changed his bed, helped him wash up and slip on a clean pair of jammies but it had become abundantly clear he wasn't going back to sleep in his bed. She picked up one of the books she'd carried into the king size bed and held it up.

'You want me to read Green Eggs and Ham again?' she asked, holding it up.

Liam shook his head and let out another moan. 'No, I want my mommy.'

'How about Corduroy? Would you like that one?'

He whimpered and shoved his face in her bosom, letting out a loud sob.

'Awww honey, your mommy and daddy are on their way home' she said, running her hand through his thick hair. 'Why don't we lie down here for a while and try to get some sleep.'

She felt him shaking his head against her chest. When he spoke, his voice was muffled. 'No. What if I pee again?'

She let out a loud sigh. Poor kid. She needed a distraction and fast.

'Did I ever tell you about what happened to me when I was five?'

He stopped moaning and looked up, his eyes growing with curiosity. 'What?' he sniffled.

'When I was in kindergarten, I did something that got me into a lot of trouble.'

Liam sat up and wiped his eyes with his pyjama sleeve.

El's face grew expressive. 'I was in Miss Hendrick's class. She was nice but she was strict and she didn't put up with any nonsense.'

The little guy started to relax, crossing his legs and positioning himself directly in front of his aunt Elizabeth to better see her face.

'One day, during recess I had to come inside to use the bathroom. When I finished, I headed down the long hall that led back to the playground. There was interesting stuff all over the place. There were bulletin boards where the big kids had put up some of their assignments and there was even a spot where the photos of all the school staff had been posted. Somebody had drawn a large moustache on Mr. Fielding's face because nobody liked him. He was the janitor and he used to shout at the kids when they got his nice clean floor dirty. Anyway, I was looking around and I happened to notice the fire alarm up on the wall. It was red and shiny and on it, it said '_pull down_'. I had always been curious about what sound it would make because we always practiced our fire drills with a whistle.'

Liam's mouth dropped open as he listened.

'Well, I was very curious when I was your age and…' she said, slowing for effect.

'Did you…?'

She nodded, biting her lip. 'I did. I pulled on it and all of a sudden there was this loud noise ringing all through the school.'

'What happened?'

I started to run out of the school and the teachers all came out of the teachers' room and started running for the exits, gathering all the children and taking them to the edge of the playground. Then… then something even worse happened.'

'What? What?'

'Suddenly we could hear the fire trucks coming and they drove up to the school and started to take out their hoses and ladders.'

'Really?'

She nodded. 'There were four of them and lots and lots of firemen and I could hear the teachers talking, asking who had pulled the alarm.'

'So what happened to you?'

'Well, I felt so bad about what I'd done that I told my teacher the truth and she told the principal and then my parents were called to the school and I had to go into the office and the principal was really mad. He told me that the alarm wasn't a toy and it wasn't for playing with.'

Liam frowned. 'Everybody knows that. What was your consquince?' he asked, captivated by the story.

'I had to clean the blackboard brushes in the class for two whole weeks.'

He was totally into it now. Elizabeth opened her arms and he leaned in, bringing his arms around her waist as far as they would go and setting his head on her chest.

'What's a blackboard brush?' he asked.

She kissed the top of his head. 'Ahhh, now that's a whole other story. Close your eyes and I'll tell you all about it.'

WCWCWC

Peter waved to the agent who was sitting in front of the Caffrey house and walked over to his car.

'Anything?' he asked.

'No sir, nothing' the man replied.

'All right, good job Barclay. You go ahead and turn in for the night, I'm here now.'

The man gave him a small salute and started the car. Peter watched him drive away and wearily made his way to the front door of the house. He pulled out his key and stepped inside locking the door behind him. Sounded like everyone was asleep. He kicked off his shoes and went into the kitchen where he took off his coat jacket followed by his holster. As he'd been doing for the past few nights, he took the ammunition out of his service revolver, stuck it in his pants pocket and placed the unloaded gun up on the top shelf of the kitchen shelf behind the coffee grinder. He opened the fridge and pulled out the juice container, pouring himself a glass which he downed in one large gulp.

Then, he headed upstairs where he hoped he might squeeze in just an hour of two of sleep.

TBC


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

The sun was just peeking over the horizon when Neal came to. A quick look around confirmed that they were on the fast food strip located about twenty minutes from home. He turned in his seat, getting his first glimpse at a haggard looking Sara.

'Hey! Why didn't you wake me?' he asked as he blinked away the bright morning sun.

'You looked so comfy, I didn't have the heart to.'

He rubbed his forehead, noticing his head was a lot clearer than it had been before his impromptu nap.

'You did good Repo' he said, glancing at the clock on the dash. Despite the rainy weather, they'd made the trip in less than five and a half hours.

'The rain stopped about an hour ago' she replied. 'That helped.'

He removed the blanket he'd been clutching and checked himself out. The edge of a piece of paper stuck out of his jeans pocket and he pulled it out.

'I totally forgot… this was on the windshield when I packed up the car.'

She frowned. 'What is it?'

'It's a note from Beth.'

Sara's eyes grew in surprise. Maybe she would finally gain some insight into what had happened the night before. 'What does it say?'

He gave her the old eyebrow wag. 'How should I know? It's addressed to you.'

'Right… as if that's ever stopped you.'

He dropped the piece of paper in her open purse and took a deep cleansing breath. He couldn't wait to finally lay eyes on his son but he was still feeling the need to get some answers from Peter. The two men had argued frequently over the years… about a lot of things. Mostly they disagreed about Peter's apparent need to keep things from Neal, ostensibly to protect him. It got Neal riled up every time.

Back when he'd been Peter's CI, the special agent had kept him in the dark on many occasions, sharing things strictly on a need to know basis. Sometimes his intentions were pure, trying to keep Neal from worrying about things that might upset him or have a negative impact on his so called rehabilitation. Other times, he kept Neal out of the loop for one simple reason: because he didn't trust him. Working in the White Collar offices gave Neal access to a lot of privileged information, information that could be used in less than honourable ways. To top it off, Neal's relationship with Mozzie was a constant worry for Peter. He knew that whatever Neal knew would make its way to Mozzie's ears and in those cases, neither one of them could be trusted.

Of course since Neal had left the Bureau, their relationship had evolved into a mutually satisfying and respectful friendship but Peter seemed to be stuck in big brother mode and still tended to shelter Neal from certain things. Perhaps it was their age difference or the fact that Peter still felt a certain responsibility for Neal, either way it irked the younger man to be kept out of the loop.

'Are you calm enough to talk to Peter?' Sara asked, reading his mind.

'Right now, all I want to think about is Liam. I can't wait to see him, make sure he's all right.'

'That's not what I asked you' she said.

Neal looked out the window and exhaled.

'Neal…' she said, reaching for his hand. He kept staring out at the street.

'Honey, look at me' she insisted.

He turned his head in her direction, his face expressionless.

'You know I'm upset too. I wish he'd called us the minute it happened. We could have left right away and maybe we could have done something sooner to get him back.'

Neal just kept staring at her, lines deepening on his forehead.

'But blowing up at Peter isn't going to change any of that.'

Neal shook his head. 'You don't get it. He always thinks he knows best. It drives me nuts.'

'What? You're not insinuating he avoided calling us on purpose.'

'Maybe… I mean he could have tried harder to get in touch.'

'Come on Neal. Can't we just be thankful Liam was returned in one piece.'

'You're kidding right?' he said, a hard edge to his voice. 'Don't you remember how long it took Hope to recover after the Keller thing. She's not even over it now. She still worries someone's going to come after me.'

Sara couldn't deny there was some truth to what he'd just said.

'All I know is that Peter loves you and he worries about you. And you're going to hate yourself if you blow up at him.'

Neal's lips grew tight and he nodded but she wasn't convinced he was really listening.

'How does your ankle feel?' he asked, out of the blue.

'Fine, just a little tight' she replied playing along. Changing the subject was a lame yet tried and true Neal Caffrey technique to avoid touchy subjects.

They arrived in their neighbourhood noticing the streets glistening from the earlier rainfall, making everything look fresh and clean. As Sara turned the corner onto their street, she saw that, despite the rising sun, the porch light by their front door was still on. She pulled into the driveway, cutting the corner a little too tight and driving right over the patch of grass Neal had just re-sodded a few weeks before. He sighed and bit his tongue to keep from commenting - he'd have to do it all over again. No lights on upstairs they noticed. Was everyone still asleep? Neal grabbed their suitcases from the trunk of the car and followed Sara who was busy searching her purse for her house key. They'd just stepped onto the front porch when the door opened wide revealing Elizabeth Burke standing there in a chenille robe.

WCWCWC

The warm glow of the rising sun enveloped the kitchen as Elizabeth made her way downstairs shortly after 5:00 on Thursday morning. She turned on a few lights and proceeded to brew herself a badly needed first cup of coffee. She'd just left a snoozing Peter and Liam up in the Caffreys' bedroom. Peter had asked her to wake him up first thing but she hadn't had the heart to follow orders. His phone had been silent since he'd come home which meant there was still no news on Cornyn's whereabouts.

When he'd finally climbed into bed, Peter had tossed and turned for almost an hour, mindful of Liam occupying the middle of the bed. He'd finally nodded off at around three while Liam slept straight through, unmolested by dreams or trips to the bathroom. Poor little guy. El recalled how a couple of years earlier, Sara had confided in her about his persistent habit of wetting the bed. No matter what they tried - cutting down on liquids, taking him to the bathroom before they turned in for the night - Liam continued to pee the bed almost nightly and she and Neal had just about given up on him growing out of it. Then, miraculously, one weekend the little guy had slept through the night and woken with dry sheets. One night had turned into two, then a week, a month and to his parents' delight, he hadn't had another bed wetting episode since. Nobody knew how or why and frankly, it didn't matter.

His reverting back to the old behaviour was not surprising. She only hoped it was a one time thing. Liam was at the age now where it mattered very much what his friends thought of him and she hated to think he would go back to feeling ashamed about something he had very little control over.

El poured a dollop of milk into her coffee as she glanced around the room, her mind wandering. Neal and Sara might be hungry when they finally got home. Without much thought, she set the oven to 350 degrees and began poking around the cupboards on the hunt for baking ingredients. As she worked, she mentally replayed the strange events of the previous day, beginning with Hope's little misfire as a hair colourist.

Her goddaughter was naturally curious and more importantly, headstrong. Even if El had known ahead of time what Hope and Olivia were plotting, it was silly to think she could have kept her from experimenting. After prodding, Hope had confessed that she'd been envious of a group of girls in her class who were known as the sunshine girls, their name reflective of their blond locks. She'd wanted to belong. Before bed, they'd managed to make some headway in getting Hope's hair colour back to its original shade but they still had a ways to go. El could only imagine Sara's reaction; perhaps a heads up was in order before her best friend laid eyes on her daughter. On the plus side, she'd managed to keep Hope in the dark about the fact her brother was missing and Hope had fallen asleep with Satchmo at her feet none the wiser.

The thought of Neal and Sara returning home to such chaos saddened her. She refilled the coffee maker with fresh water, preparing to brew a full pot to greet the homeowners upon their return. Their first order of business would be to check in on their son. Hopefully, Neal's anger towards Peter would have abated by now; she hated it when the two of them argued - which was frequent. These days though, their arguments were usually short lived. Thankfully, they both had a good sense of humour and short memories.

Peter had confided that although he'd tried to reach Neal the previous day, he'd been somewhat relieved not to have been able to. He felt partly responsible for what had happened to Liam and he'd been eager to fix the problem before Neal found out or had to worry about it. Conversely, it was understandable that Neal would be upset about being kept in the dark, regardless of the fact there was little he could have done from a distance.

She returned to her coffee, letting the warmth of the cup provide comfort. That's when she heard what sounded like a car driving up the quiet street. She pressed the start button on the coffee maker and headed for the front door.

WCWCWC

_The large warehouse was empty except for heavy tarps covering the ground. Hundreds and hundreds of them lying every which way all over the cold cement floor. Except for the hum of fluorescent lights above his head, the only sound he could hear was soft whimpering coming from somewhere underneath the tarps. Peter stopped and listened, trying to locate where the moaning was coming from. _

_'__Liam!' he cried out. 'Liam, where are you?'_

_The soft whining continued, coming from somewhere to his left. He resumed his search, frantically pulling up the coverings one by one as he went, his feet moving with care to avoid stepping on the little boy hidden underneath. _

_'__Liam! Where are you? Liam!'_

_The crying resumed but this time emanating from his right, a helpless, despondent cry echoing in the empty warehouse. He stepped gingerly over the tarps towards the sound, terrified he might actually crush the child with his heavy feet._

_'__I'm here Liam!' he cried out. 'Don't worry, I'll find you.'_

_As he spoke, the room suddenly grew to twice its size, more tarps covering every single inch of the never ending floor. His eyes grew in horror and the crying intensified, this time coming from the other end of the room._

WCWCWC

'You're home!' Elizabeth called out as the Caffreys stepped into the house. There were quick hugs and an expectant look on both Neal and Sara's faces. Elizabeth noticed the bruise on her best friend's cheek and was about to ask about it when she stopped, thinking better of it.

'He's asleep in your bed' she said without bothering to wait for the question. 'Peter is with him.'

Neal and Sara exchanged glances and without hesitation, they started up the stairs with Neal leading the way. It was quiet up there, Hope's bedroom door was closed, Liam's room sat empty and the door to their room was wide open. They slowed their steps, entering the room without making a sound, their eyes riveted on the bed with the two very different looking occupants. They took a few more tentative steps, making their way to the far side of the bed, Neal's side, where Liam lay on his back, sleeping the sleep of the innocent. He looked angelic with his fists closed tightly like a newborn and his sandy coloured hair hanging on his forehead. His face was relaxed, his long eyelashes fanned out on his pink cheeks, his lips parted as he calmly breathed in and out. Neal exhaled slowly and felt Sara's hand on his arm as they both stared down at their son. Peter lay beside him, turned onto his side away from Liam. He snored loudly with a regular rhythm that was somehow reassuring. They made quite the pair.

It was tempting to reach out and scoop Liam up in their arms, hear his voice, be reassured that he was all right. But waking their son just so they could hug him suddenly seemed selfish. He'd been through a terrible ordeal and there would be plenty of time later for cuddling and explanations. Neal gave Sara a head nod towards the door and Sara led the way out, closing the door behind them as they exited. They both glanced down the hall towards Hope's room and Neal nodded. They opened the door and that pesky creak Neal had been meaning to fix let out a plaintive moan. They cringed but neither Satchmo nor Hope stirred, both of them out cold. The sight of the dog occupying the whole length of the bed made them smile. Hope's head peeked out from above the blankets and Sara did a double take. Even with the blinds closed and despite the semi darkness of the room, something didn't look right. She made a move to get closer but Neal held her back.

'Let her sleep' he murmured softly.

They exited, pulling the door closed behind them as they stood facing each other in the hallway outside the bedrooms. Their eyes met and they were drawn into an embrace, their bodies clinging to one another in sheer relief.

'It's okay' Neal murmured into her hair as he held her. 'They're okay, we're okay.'

Sara trembled in his arms, the tension from the past twenty-four hours finally catching up to her. She'd been dragged away by a violent man, left to deal with his brutal outburst and just as she was recovering from his attack, had learned their precious son had been abducted.

They stood for a long moment in the darkened hall, just holding each other and breathing quietly. They were finally home and their children were safe, sound asleep right within their reach. Their tense bodies began to relax in each other's embrace.

When they made it back to the kitchen, Elizabeth was busy placing fresh baked muffins on a plate.

'Here, sit down' she said, pulling back a couple of chairs. 'I'll get you two some coffee.'

Like guests in their own home, Sara and Neal took a seat, taking stock of each other for the first time since the sun had gone down the night before. Sara's face was looking worse than before, the bruise darkening under her eye, her hair disheveled. Neal looked like he'd just rolled out of bed, his eyes still small with sleep, his hair plastered up one side of his head. Sara reached out and flattened it as he stared down at his coffee.

'Peter wanted me to wake him before you got here but he got to sleep around three' she explained. 'He was at the office most of the night.'

Neal ignored her comment. 'Have they located Cornyn yet?'

She shook her head and he sighed loudly.

El took the seat across from her best friend and examined her face. 'What happened to you?'

Sara shook her head. 'It's a long story. I'll tell you later.'

'How's Liam?' Neal asked, his voice raw. 'I mean, how is he really?'

He was looking at her with his probing eyes and Elizabeth knew she wasn't going to get away with half-truths and generalities.

'He was sound asleep in Peter's arms when they finally got home around eleven thirty. Physically, he's fine.'

Sara cringed at the specificity of El's remark. 'Physically?' she repeated.

El sidestepped the question. 'We put him to bed and he slept for a while. But when Peter went back to the office, he woke up crying. Said he'd had a bad dream and… well, he'd wet the bed.'

Sara let out a choking sound.

'I changed his sheets and… well, then he seemed… spooked so I brought him to bed with me. It took a while but I managed to get him back to sleep.'

Neal ran his hand through his hair, heartache written all over his face.

'Peter took him to the hospital and had him checked out. Not a scratch on him' El continued. 'There's stuff there on the counter from the social worker about… emotional support.'

Neal scoffed. Sadly, they'd been through this kind of thing with Hope just a couple of years ago.

'Peter… Peter feels awful about the way you found out' Elizabeth began. Now that she was face to face with Neal, she was feeling the need to defend her husband's actions.

Neal raised his hand to keep her from speaking. 'I don't want to hear it right now Elizabeth' he declared curtly.

In a gesture of conciliation, she pushed the plate of warm muffins closer to them but neither one acknowledged it.

'Do you want some ice for your cheek?' El asked, getting to her feet. Sara looked up with confusion on her face; for a moment there, it was as if she didn't even remember getting hurt.

'You should' Neal said, placing his hand on his wife's. 'It's still really swollen.'

Elizabeth opened the freezer door and located an ice pack which she brought to the table. Sara ignored it until Neal picked it up and forcibly placed it on her cheek. 'You're gonna scare the kids with that if you don't get the swelling down.'

Sara sighed and took the ice pack from his hand. She was suddenly too exhausted to fight. The long drive, the lack of sleep, the fear for the safety of her son, her own long misadventure at the hands of a man named Brett… it all came back to hit her and she let out a soft whimper. El's arm was instantly around her shoulder, comforting her.

Sara let out a choked laugh. 'Believe it or not, we had a great time.'

'Oh yeah?' El replied with a chuckle. 'You could have fooled me.'

Neal returned to sipping his coffee in silence, his mind in overdrive. He needed to talk to Peter, needed to get some answers to the many questions that were buzzing around his brain. He wanted details, explanations… maybe even an apology.

There was the sound of footsteps coming down the staircase and the three of them looked up to find Peter standing there.

TBC


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

Special Agent Peter Burke's 'go-to' work attire consisted of one of three Brooks Brothers suits, a neutral coloured dress shirt, an outdated matching tie and a pair of sensible dress shoes. On weekends, he switched it up with old t-shirts, gym pants and well-worn sneakers. Apparently, there was no in between look for the man, no stylish jeans or sleek chinos, no trendy shirts and that was the way he liked it.

At the moment, he was standing in the Caffrey kitchen in a getup his best friend had rarely seen, one that could best be described as suburban mix and match. He wore a plain white cotton t-shirt, short sleeved, plaid flannel pyjama bottoms and a pair of wool socks despite the fact it was mid-June in New York. A tuff of hair shot straight up towards the ceiling reminding Neal of Alfalfa from those old kids' movies. He had to keep himself in check to keep from laughing.

'You're back!' the older man called out from where he stood in all his glory.

Sara smiled at him, Neal swallowed the giggle and glared. After all, he was still pissed off at him for what he perceived to be the most egregious of transgressions between best friends: a lack of honesty and transparency.

'Are the kids awake?' El asked as she poured her husband a cup of coffee.

'Not yet, it's all quiet up there' he confirmed, taking the chair directly across from Neal.

'You made good time' he commented, trying to keep the conversation in the neutral zone.

Neal remained silent.

'It rained earlier on but it was pretty well clear sailing for the last little while' Sara offered by way of a reply.

'What…' Peter began, pointing to her swollen cheek.

'Like I told El, it's a long story.'

He nodded and returned his attention to his coffee, pouring in a dollop of cream. It wasn't lost on the foursome that the tension was growing with every passing second, the air thick enough to cut with a knife.

Sara sprung to her feet. Not only was she eager to talk to the kids, she had no interest in witnessing what was sure to be a raucous outburst from her husband. It was his way of processing the hurt, anger and fear he'd been trying to deal with since the night before. And, as always, Peter was the easiest target.

'I'm going to go check on the kids again' she said with a slight stutter. 'See if they're awake.'

'I'll come with you' El offered, hot on her heels. It was obvious neither woman wanted to get caught in the middle of a heated discussion between the two best friends.

Peter looked up pleadingly at his wife as she prepared to walk away, leaving the two men to face each other, like boxers in a ring ready to face off. Contrary to Neal, Peter's face was relaxed and open, ready to take whatever Neal felt the need to dish out. He was fully aware that his best friend was dealing with hurt, worry, anger and most of all fear. The lethal combination had left him raw, struggling to deal with all those competing emotions. Neal's eyes stared back, dark and brooding but when he spoke, he managed to keep his tone civil.

'Start at the beginning. And don't leave anything out' he said, his voice clipped.

Peter fidgeted, nervously running his fingers around the rim of his coffee cup.

'Like I said, I showed up at Liam's friend's house at around 4:30 yesterday just as the party was wrapping up. I saw Nathan's mom talking to a bunch of parents so I went over and introduced myself, showed her my ID, told her I was there to pick up Liam.'

Deep lines were etched on Neal's forehead. 'What made you think Cornyn might be involved in the first place?'

'Hope saw a man hanging around the soccer field and again at school.'

'What?' Neal said, his voice strident - another detail Peter had conveniently neglected to mention. 'When was this?'

Peter looked down at the table, ran a finger lightly over it. 'It was… hum… earlier in the week… at her practice.'

Neal leaned forward, his fists clenched, anger bubbling to the surface. 'You're telling me that you've know since the weekend that Cornyn was sniffing around my kids and you didn't bother to tell me?'

'No, no… it wasn't like that. Hope didn't say anything until later. And at first, I wasn't even sure it _was_ Cornyn. Hope just said this guy had talked to her at her practice —'

Neal interrupted, again on the verge of blowing up. 'Where the hell were you while a stranger was accosting Hope?'

'I was there Neal, I was right there. Hope says he complimented her on a goal she'd scored but she didn't tell us about it until later on in the week.'

Neal sat back and forced himself to calm down. He needed to listen if he wanted to understand what had happened.

'At first, I thought she might be overly suspicious. I know she's a little… skittish when it comes to strange men.'

'After what she went through, can you blame her?' Neal barked back.

'No… It crossed my mind it might be Cornyn but I couldn't be sure… So, I brought Hope into the Bureau and we showed her a few mugshots.'

Neal shook his head in disbelief. 'And the hits just keep on coming' he mumbled acridly.

Peter ignored the sarcasm. 'She did great. She was able to ID him and then she remembered him from that day we took them to Jersey City. I put out an APB, warned the school to be on the lookout…'

Neal felt another pang of unease at the thought of not having been there for both his kids. Hope was still fragile following the Keller ordeal and he and Sara continued to keep a close eye on her. But Peter knew that and he would have been careful when dealing with her. Neal wondered in passing if he would have done anything different if he'd been there. In truth, Peter was the best g-man he'd ever known.

'She must have been terrified when Liam disappeared.'

Again, Peter was unable to look him straight in the eye. 'Actually, we didn't tell her what was going on.'

Neal sighed in relief. 'What do you mean?'

'She spent yesterday over at the Masons and when she came home, El just kept her distracted.'

'So she still doesn't know?'

Peter shook his head.

'What happened after you talked to Nathan's mom?'

'We went looking for Liam and her husband admitted he'd let him go with someone who said he was me.'

'But —'

It was Peter's turn to interrupt. 'The guy said it was hectic with all the parents arriving at the same time… he didn't think to ask for ID. By then… it was too late. I missed him by about five minutes.'

Neal's breathing accelerated and he set his open hands on the kitchen table, palms down as if bracing himself.

'I can't believe Liam would get in a car with someone he didn't know' Neal said, his face strained.

'Liam said he blurted out the safe word by mistake.'

Neal chuckled bitterly. 'Then what happened?'

'We put out an amber alert, interviewed the parents who'd been picking up their kids around the same time… but we came up empty.'

Neal felt his emotions fluctuating as Peter described what had happened — almost as if he was living through the events minute by minute. His face grew pale… four thirty? He'd been wandering through the woods looking for Sara right around that time. He looked up at Peter. His look softened somewhat at the sight of Peter's face growing ashen.

'Why didn't you call me right away?' The anger was instantly back.

'Once I got my bearings and I got back to the office, I tried. It went to voice mail… I wasn't about to leave a message…'

'Peter, he was missing for five hours!'

'I know, I know. I was just busy… running down leads, trying to coordinate everything.'

Neal scoffed. He knew that was only part of the reason.

'Bullshit!' he said, his voice suddenly louder. 'If you'd called us right when it happened, we would have been here by the time…'

Underneath it all, Peter knew Neal had a point. It was true, he _had_ been busy but not too busy to reach out to him. Truth was, part of him had been hoping to get Liam back safe and sound before Neal even had time to worry about it.

'I guess I… I was trying to keep you from worrying' he admitted quietly.

Neal's gaze grew dark, his cheeks flushed. 'Because you know better, right?' he said bitterly.

'No… I…'

'It's true! You always think you know better Peter, filtering what you think I need to know, not trusting me to handle the truth —'

'That's not true Neal.'

They were right into it now. Both their voices growing louder, emotions escalating.

'It is! Peter, I'm not your CI anymore! Stop treating me like some helpless ex-con who can't handle things or can't be trusted with the truth.'

Peter shook his head violently in denial as Neal continued, his voice thundering. 'I'm a grown man with a family and I have nothing to prove to you or anybody else anymore so stop…. coddling me!'

The outburst ended abruptly and silence returned as the two men stared each other down. Neal took a few cleansing breaths and got to his feet, walking over to the coffee maker to refill his cup. He returned to his seat, calmer now but still short on the details he badly needed to satisfy his curiosity. Like a voyeur, he wanted to know every single detail as if that would somehow absolve him of not being there when his son needed him the most.

WCWCWC

'He looks so… peaceful' Sara said, staring down at Liam. 'It's hard to believe he's been through so much.'

Elizabeth nodded, recalling just how upset he'd been when he'd woken in the middle of the night. It was a relief to see him sleeping peacefully.

They sat together on the edge of the bed in the master bedroom, speaking softly. Sara didn't want to be anywhere else.

'He peed the bed?' she asked.

El nodded again. 'He was pretty upset about it, said he'd had a bad dream.'

'Of course he did. Is it any wonder?' Sara said with a strangled sob. She gently ran her hand over his fair head of hair but he didn't stir.

She turned to look at El, her face tortured. 'Do you think the guy touched him or…'

'Peter doesn't think so. Liam says he didn't. He just drove around with him in the car. Frankly, it looks like it was all about making Neal a little crazy.'

'A_ little _crazy?' Sara said as she let out an uneven sigh. 'It's not fair El. He's just a baby.'

Elizabeth brought her hand to rest on her best friend's back, rubbing gently. 'I know.'

'How's Hope doing? This must have really upset her, huh?'

'Actually… I didn't tell her. I didn't see the point, she's so overprotective of him.'

'I guess she'll find out sooner or later. I hope it doesn't trigger memories of what happened to her.'

'Speaking of Hope' El began tentatively. 'There's something I need to tell you.'

Sara couldn't take much more in the way of unexpected news. 'What is it?' she said, her voice weak.

'Yesterday, Hope and Olivia spent the day playing hairdresser.'

'What do you mean?'

Elizabeth cringed as she waited for Sara's reaction. 'They tried to dye each other's hair.'

'They what?' she said louder.

Liam moved on the bed, turned over and kept sleeping.

'She said she wanted to be a blonde. Something about some girls at school.'

'The sunshine girls…' Sara said as she recalled her daughter bemoaning the fact she wasn't part of the group.

'The what?'

Sara waved the question away and cringed. 'How bad is it?'

'Well, let me put it this way. It's better than it was when we got home. I managed to wash a lot of it out with vinegar and water.'

'Great!' Sara said sarcastically before thinking better of it. 'I guess in light of everything that's happened over the past twenty-four hours, it's the least of our worries.'

The murmur of voices coming from the kitchen grew louder and Sara recognized her husband's angry voice echoing through the house. Through it all, Liam slept.

'So are you going to tell me how you got that shiner?' Elizabeth probed as only she could.

Sara sighed and proceeded to give her a brief description of the events of the week, her suspicions upon meeting Beth, her face to face standoff with the woman's violent husband.

'Are you going to press charges?'

'I don't know… really, I just want to forget about the whole thing.'

'Mommy' came a small voice from underneath the blankets.

She let out a choked laugh as she looked into Liam's sleepy eyes. 'Hey sweetie!'

His little arms reached around her neck as he pulled himself into her arms. She held him tight, feeling his small defenceless body relax in her arms.

'Mommy, a bad man took me in his car' he said in her ear as she nodded.

'I know sweetie.' She pulled out of the hug so she could see his eyes. 'Did he hurt you?'

His reaction was instantaneous and frankly reassuring. 'No. He just drove around. He wouldn't bring me home. He got mad because I threw up in his car.'

She laughed bitterly again at what were the highlights from a five-year-old's perspective. Liam leaned in and put a hand up against her ear as he whispered. 'Mommy I peed my pants and I peed the bed.'

It had been such a victory to finally leave his bedwetting years behind him. She could hear the anguish in his voice.

'That's okay honey' she whispered, holding him near. 'It's okay.'

His mood changed and his eyes grew bright. 'Where's Daddy?'

WCWCWC

Downstairs, the inquisition was far from over. The torture was back on every feature of Neal's face as he spoke. 'How was he… when you first laid eyes on him?'

Peter fiddled with his cup and swallowed. 'Like I said, our security guy saw him standing outside the door. Liam had been trying to open it but it was too heavy for him. He said Liam was shivering, he had thrown up on himself and he had… he had peed his pants.'

Neal's face grew sad at the thought of his little boy, having to deal with grownup stuff all by himself at such a young age.

'Dillon, the night guy brought him in and wrapped him in a blanket. Liam told him he thought his uncle Peter worked in the building but he couldn't remember my last name. On a hunch, Dillon did a check of who was in the building and they figured it out from there.'

Neal nodded expectantly for Peter to continue.

'When I came down, he ran into my arms. He was shaking… and he was crying.'

Neal swallowed a gasp. 'Did Cornyn hurt him or threaten him?'

'I really don't think so Neal. I took Liam to the little sitting area and after he calmed down, he said he was just scared and frankly, he was more upset about having peed his pants than anything else.'

Peter got up and went to the kitchen counter where he picked up a piece of paper.

'Cornyn had pinned this to his chest' he said, handing the note over to Neal.

Neal's eyes swept the note. 'And you haven't located him yet?'

'No… he dumped the car he was driving. We found it abandoned somewhere in Queens.'

Neal looked up expectantly, waiting for Peter to finish the tale.

'So, I checked Liam out… he said he was hungry and like I said, he was embarrassed about making a mess. He said Cornyn had taken him to a restaurant but that he wasn't hungry after eating all that junk food at the party. He tried to tell the waitress what was going on.'

'What do you mean?'

'This waitress at a diner in Queens called in and said she recognized Liam's picture from the news. She said he told her the man he was with wasn't his dad but she thought it was just a game they were playing. By then, they were long gone. Then, Liam said they drove around and he felt sick and threw up all over the car.'

There was a sad smile on Neal's face. 'That's my boy' he muttered.

'He says he fell asleep after that and when he woke up they were at the Federal Building. Cornyn told him to get out.'

Neal's anger melted into concern. His little guy had been whisked away and had spent hours terrified, not knowing where he was or if and when he'd be allowed to come home.

He choked back a sob and looked into Peter's eyes, pleading. 'How could you have let this happen Peter?'

The sheer look of anguish in his best friend's eyes caused Peter to fall back on his chair as if he'd just been punched in the gut. The accusation inherent in Neal's question left him shaken.

'I love him too you know' he said, his voice shaky.

'Well you didn't do a very good job of keeping him safe!' Neal barked back without hesitation, getting in one last painful jab.

Peter looked down at the table, unable to maintain eye contact. 'No… I guess I didn't' he murmured.

Neal felt a lump in his throat. Perhaps he'd gone too far. For now, he'd managed to knock his opponent down but the victory felt bittersweet.

'Daddy!' came a small voice from the bottom of the staircase.

All the anger and anguish instantly vanished from Neal's face as he opened his arms to his son.

'Daddy!' he repeated as he threw himself in his father's arms.

'Hey buddy' Neal murmured softly. 'You have no idea how much I missed you.'

'A bad man took me in his car' Liam said innocently as if recounting a TV show he'd been watching.

Neal felt his throat constricting and hugged him again. 'You're safe now buddy. Mommy and Daddy are home.'

WCWCWC

'Are you mad at me?' Hope asked, peeking out from under the blankets. Satchmo was lying low, his head down as if anticipating an outburst from Sara.

She didn't have it in her to blow up as she might have done just a few days ago. 'Well, I'm not happy about it.'

She lifted a strand of hair with disdain and let it drop. 'You have… you _had _such beautiful hair' she said.

Hope snivelled and Sara feared she might start to cry. This time, she ran her hair down her wavy curls lovingly. 'It's okay honey, it can be fixed' she said reassuringly.

They hugged tightly. Sara had missed her kids a lot more than she'd realized.

'Where's Daddy?' Hope asked pulling away.

'He's downstairs with Uncle Peter.'

Hope slipped out of her mom's arms and ran to the bedroom door with Satchmo in tow. She stopped suddenly, looking at her mom with alarm.

'Is he going to be mad at me?' the girl asked.

Thinking of the craziness of the past few days, Sara shook her head and smiled.

'I doubt it' she replied.

TBC


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

_Big brother: a man who assumes the role of an older brother by providing guidance or protection; a man who serves as a companion, father figure, and role model for a boy._

The day Neal Caffrey, bond forger, counterfeiter, art thief and racketeer walked out of Sing Sing prison, he agreed to do so under certain very specific conditions: that he remain in the custody of the FBI for the rest of his sentence and that he assist the Bureau by consulting on white collar crimes. In other words, in exchange for his albeit restricted freedom and for the foreseeable future, he would remain at the beck and call of his new FBI handler, Special Agent Peter Burke.

Peter took his new responsibility very seriously. He realized he might not succeed in reforming the ex-con nor was that his goal, rather it was his job to make good use of the man's many talents and to keep him from straying so he could keep taking full advantage of said talents. He proceeded to keep a close eye on his CI, tracking his whereabouts obsessively and reminding him repeatedly of the consequences should the younger man veer from their mutually agreed upon arrangement. Neal played along, at least on the surface, keeping his indiscretions well concealed and playing up his skills and charm as a way of remaining under the radar.

What Peter hadn't counted on at the time was that he would grow fond of the man, warts and all. And so, despite his better judgement, he began his quest to rehabilitate Neal Caffrey, to show him there was a better way… that he could make use of his talents without resorting to crime and that an honest life on the outside was worth living.

This, as it turned out, was a mammoth task.

Neal fought him all the way, continuing to deceive, dupe, mislead and scam his handler every chance he got. Despite this fact, Peter persisted, intent on reforming the ex-con. He began to worry about the choices Neal was making and even though he strived to be a good role model, he proceeded to cover his CI's misdeeds in an effort to keep him out of prison.

Over time, the inevitable happened. The ex-con began to care about disappointing Peter and he began to feel bad whenever he did. Not that he was able to keep from giving in to his urges. But sometimes, he tried.

And so, the relationship settled into an unlikely pattern with Peter watching out for Neal, trying to keep him out of trouble and Neal testing the limits like a four-year-old with impulse control issues. Almost fifteen years later, the men still struggled with that dynamic: Peter still liked to tell Neal what to do and Neal still enjoyed colouring outside the lines from time to time. But as Neal was apt to remind his best friend, he wasn't his CI anymore. He was a forty-six year old man with a stable job, a home, a wife, a couple of kids and that he was, if not a pillar of his community, certainly a respectable member of it. The tug of war continued with Peter doing his best to give Neal the space he needed and Neal appreciative of having someone he could turn to for help and advice. Perhaps the time had come for the two men to fully embrace their new and improved relationship for what it was: a bromance between two best friends of equal stature.

WCWCWC

Liam's sudden appearance in the kitchen had brought the discussion between Neal and Peter to a grinding halt. Within ten minutes, the Caffreys and Burkes were all sitting around the kitchen table as Sara and Neal doled out the small gifts they'd brought along for everyone including the chocolate Neal had bought at Wallace's market.

'Am I allowed to have some chocolate before breakfast?' Liam asked his mom.

She reached out and cut a small piece off, handing it to him. 'So, who else is hungry?' she asked, getting to her feet.

'I want pancakes' Liam cried out.

'I want eggs benedict' Hope chimed.

'Whoa, whoa! I've only got two hands' Sara said as she reached into the cupboard for a frying pan.

She set it down on the counter and looked over at the group. Neal seemed more settled now that he'd seen the kids but she noticed that he and Peter hadn't made eye contact since she and Elizabeth had come downstairs. El's eyes met hers, corroborating her observation. Perhaps it was time to coax their husbands into making nice.

'I've got an idea' Sara said, looking around at everyone. 'Why don't we all go out for breakfast?'

The kids cheered and El gave a big thumbs up. Only the men nodded timidly. If the two of them weren't going to work things out by themselves, the women and kids would find a way to force them into it.

'Sure' Neal said soberly. 'Our treat.'

'I want to go to Mel's' Hope said.

'Mel's it is' Sara replied as she returned the frying pan to its spot in the cupboard.

Liam slid off his chair and climbed up onto his dad's lap. He pulled on the one week old hair growth on his chin as Neal grimaced. 'Daddy, is that man going to take me in his car again?'

Neal pulled him in to him and ran his hand through his hair. 'No buddy, that's never going to happen again.'

He looked around the table, his gaze zeroing in on Hope whose eyes had grown wide.

'What man?' she asked.

'The bad man' Liam replied, seemingly reassured. 'He came to get me at Nathan's party and he wouldn't bring me home.'

Hope's forehead creased as if trying to understand. She looked at her dad, then her mom who was suddenly looking rather agitated.

'Is it the man in the picture?' she asked her uncle. Her voice trembled as she spoke.

Peter glanced at his best friend, unsure whether or not to answer the question. Neal tried to remain calm but now that the pandora's box was open, it was obvious they would have to provide an explanation for the events of the previous day. As far as their sharp as a tack daughter was concerned, they'd already dodged a bullet when Sara had explained away her injury as a silly accident. Liam would be giving her all the juicy details of his little adventure in no time if he and Sara didn't intervene to keep her from letting her imagination run wild.

'Why don't we talk about it later' Neal suggested. He needed time to fine tune whatever explanation he was going to give her. Not that he would ever try to deceive her, she was too smart for that. But the way in which this was handled might make the difference between the return of nightmares or her ability to cope with the fact her brother had been abducted.

Hope nodded but the look of consternation remained on her face.

Elizabeth stood, breaking the sombre mood. 'Honey, why don't you and I go get dressed' she said to Peter who was only too happy to follow her out of the kitchen.

'All right you two' Sara said to the kids. 'Go get ready and then we can go.'

'That didn't take long' Neal murmured once they'd disappeared up the stairs. 'I knew we couldn't keep it a secret forever but…'

Sara took a seat next to him and reached for his hand. 'How do you want to handle it?'

He searched her eyes. 'I think I should be the one to do it. She might have some questions… she was worried Cornyn might come after me… and now this.'

Sara nodded in agreement. 'Maybe sooner than later' she advised.

'Yeah, maybe I can stay behind with her for a few minutes while you guys head out.'

'So, how did you leave things with Peter?' she asked.

This time his gaze slipped away but Sara wasn't having it. She stood and slid her body in between his chair and the table, plunking herself on his lap and holding his face in her hands to keep him from shifting.

He smiled at her. 'You look like a boxer with that bruise.'

'Nice deflection Caffrey. Now spill.'

He took a deep breath, recalling everything he'd just unloaded on his best friend. The fair points… and the not so fair ones.

'I asked him to tell me exactly what happened. In detail. I may have… raised my voice once or twice' he admitted sheepishly.

'Oh yeah?' she said playfully. 'Anything you feel the need to apologize for?'

He ran his hand down her cheek. 'Maybe…'

Sara's eyes bore into his, waiting for him to elaborate. She could see regret forming in his eyes.

With hesitation, he spoke. 'I told him… I told him he didn't do a very good job of keeping Liam safe…'

'Neal! You didn't!'

He shrugged. 'I was upset…'

Sara stood, leaving him to his thoughts. 'Don't let things fester' she said as she walked away.

WCWCWC

Upstairs in the Caffreys' bedroom, Elizabeth was slipping out of her robe and into a skirt and top.

'You're awfully quiet. Everything go all right with Neal?' she asked as if she couldn't guess.

He raised his eyebrows; that was all she needed to know.

'That bad, huh?'

He pulled on a pair of pants and a clean shirt - no suit today. He'd stay in touch with the office but he wanted to stick close to Neal. Just in case.

'Do you think I coddle Neal?'

'Coddle him? What do you mean?'

'I mean, do you think I hold back telling him things because I don't want him to worry?'

El sat on the edge of the bed and turned to face him. 'You used to… I don't think you do it quite as much. Is that what he's accusing you of?'

'He says I had plenty of time to get in touch with him.'

She wagged her eyebrows. 'He has a point.'

Peter rose and grabbed a pair of socks, returning to the bed. 'I tried a couple of times but… the truth is I was relieved I couldn't reach him. I thought if we could just get Liam back, I could give him the bad news and the good news at the same time and he wouldn't have to go through all that.'

'Honey, Liam is his son and Neal is a grown man.'

He sighed. Perhaps there was some justification for Neal being so angry after all.

'And he's been through a lot with Sara being attacked like that.'

'What? What are you talking about?'

'Yesterday… Sara befriended this woman while they were away and it turned out she was a victim of domestic abuse. Her husband got pissed off at Sara and he dragged her into the woods. He attacked her. That's how she got that bruise on her face. The police came and Neal finally found her with his tracking app.'

Peter's mouth dropped open. 'That's why he didn't answer his phone?'

'I guess… Honey, cut him some slack. And stop acting like he can't get along in this world if you're not there to hold his hand.'

The words stung. All he'd ever wanted was to be a friend to Neal, to be there for him.

There was a knock on the bedroom door and the door opened a crack, revealing Liam standing there with his hair disheveled in a pair of shorts and an inside out t-shirt.

'Hey sweetie, come here' El said, reaching for her hairbrush. 'You ready to go?'

He nodded enthusiastically, looking like his good old self instead of a kid who'd been abducted just over twelve hours earlier.

'Can I ride in your car Uncle Peter' he asked.

WCWCWC

Hope stood at the front door, tapping her foot impatiently. She'd asked if she could drive to the restaurant with her parents. Surprisingly, her mom had gotten into her uncle Peter's car with Liam and her godparents before she'd even made it downstairs.

'Daddy! We're going to be late' she called out.

Neal replied from the kitchen. 'Honey can you come in here for a minute?'

She gave an exaggerated sigh of frustration and stomped over, surprised to find him sitting at the kitchen table.

'Can you come over here and sit with me for a minute? There's something I need to talk to you about.'

Her face grew serious as she pulled out a chair. 'What is it?'

'I heard there was plenty of excitement while we were away' he said.

She touched her hair and pouted. 'But you said you weren't mad.'

He reached for her hand. 'Of course I'm not mad. It's only hair… it'll fade. No… I meant Uncle Peter told me how you went to his office to look at pictures.'

She nodded. 'That man we saw when you took me and Liam in the car that day. He was following me around. Uncle Peter needed my help.'

Neal's face drooped. As proud as he was of his daughter for stepping up, he was saddened at the realization that his undercover work had put his family in danger.

'He was at my soccer practice and he talked to me but I didn't recognize him until later. And then he was at school during recess. I was afraid he might try to hurt me.'

Neal took a deep breath and reached out for her, pulling her onto his lap. 'Come here sweet pea' he murmured. 'I'm sorry he scared you. That man was mad at me because I got him arrested. I think he tried to scare you because he knew I'd be upset about it.'

'But he didn't do anything' she stated as if trying to reassure him.

Neal pulled her in for a hug. 'Actually honey, he did.'

She pulled away to look in his eyes. 'He took Liam?'

He nodded feeling his chest tightening. 'Yeah… he did. He knew it would scare me more than anything in the world if he touched you or Liam.'

She listened, her heart thumping. 'But Liam's home.'

'He is… but yesterday, that man went to Nathan's house and pretended to be Uncle Peter and he took him in his car.

'How come? I reminded Liam about the safe word when I saw the man at school.'

Neal smiled, running his hand though her oatmeal coloured hair. 'You did?'

She nodded. 'You are the best big sister in the world, you know that?'

'But the man took him anyway.'

'He did. He drove around with him in his car and then he left him at Uncle Peter's office.'

'Why?'

_Because he's a fucking asshole_ came to mind but Neal managed to restrain himself. 'Because… when I went undercover I pretended to be someone else so we could catch him and now he blames me so…'

Her arms flew around his neck. 'Is he going to come back and hurt us?'

Neal's heart melted as he squeezed her tight. 'No honey, no. Uncle Peter has everyone looking for him. And I'm home now. I'm never going to let anyone hurt you or Liam, I promise.'

When she pulled away, her eyes were full of tears and Neal could hardly breathe. It was going to take more than a five minute chat to work through all this chaos.

'When we get home later' he began. 'We can sit down and talk to Liam together, you, me and Mom. And there won't be any secrets. We'll come up with another safe word and maybe you can help him if he gets scared… you think you can do that?'

She nodded.

He figured that was about as far he could go for the moment. There would be time later for more discussion. 'So, are you ready to go?'

She touched her hair subconsciously. 'Maybe I'll wear a baseball cap' she said. 'Can I borrow one of yours? That blue one we got at the zoo?'

He smiled and nodded. 'Knock yourself out.'

She disappeared up the stairs while he checked everything, preparing to lock up. Satchmo whimpered and Neal went to the patio door to let him in.

'Come on Satch' he said as he opened the door. He almost jumped out of his skin at the sight of Dwight Cornyn standing at the edge of the deck, brandishing a gun aimed right at him.

'Finally' he said. 'The man himself. Come on out here, we need to have a little talk.'

WCWCWC

The blue baseball cap was hanging amongst Neal's collection in his walk in closet and Hope proceeded to wrap her hair into a tight bun before stuffing it all inside. She stood in front of the mirror and smiled, satisfied - it would do until her mom helped her finish washing out the rest of the hair dye.

Her ears perked up in response to voices coming from the backyard. Men's voices. For a moment, she thought maybe her uncle Peter hadn't left the house after all. She walked over to her parents' bedroom window and tried to sneak a peek. She was about six inches shy of the bottom ledge so she dragged her mom's makeup chair under the window and climbed onto it. She recognized the top of her dad's head as he stood on the backyard deck, talking to someone. His voice was soft and she couldn't quite make out what he was saying. Craning her neck, she noticed a pair of feet on the grass. A further stretch and she let out a gasp.

It was him. It was the guy from the soccer field, the guy who'd taken Liam. He stood with a wide stance, both hands on a gun pointed directly at her dad.

Her heart beat wildly in her chest as she jumped off the chair and ran towards the phone on her dad's night table. Her uncle Peter would know what to do. What was his number? She knew it, of course she knew it. She called it all the time. 'It has a 7 and a 4' she said under her breath before her eyes rested on the phone with the list of the family's ten speed dial numbers. Her shaking finger lingered down the list. Sara work, Neal work, Sara cell, Neal cell, Peter and El home.

She almost let out a cry as she spotted it: Peter cell. She pressed the speed dial and held her breath as it rang in her ear.

'What's taking you guys so long?' Peter answered after the third ring. 'We're starved!'

'Uncle Peter' she whispered. 'He's here.'

'Hope? Is that you? What's wrong?'

'The man… the man who took Liam… he's in the backyard with my dad. And he has a gun.'

WCWCWC

Hope's mind was reeling. What should she do? She heard her dad's voice, growing a little louder. 'Come on Cornyn, you don't want to do this' she heard him say.

How long would it take her uncle Peter to get back? Ten? Fifteen minutes? Her dad could be dead by then. She needed to do something. Right away. She paced in her parents' bedroom, her feet dragging on the hardwood floor. She stopped and stared at herself in the mirror. Maybe there was something she could do…

She ran down the stairs, noticing that the voices were growing louder. The patio door had been left open and Satchmo had taken up the spot right inside the door and was sound asleep. She forced herself to slow her pace and tiptoed into the kitchen, quietly dragging a chair to the counter and climbing onto it. She still couldn't reach the very top of the cupboard so she climbed onto the counter itself and swung the cabinet door open, her eyes searching.

Had he taken it with him or was it still in its hiding place? Her hand reached the highest shelf and she poked around, pushing aside the coffee grinder as she felt around with the very tips of her fingers.

There it was. She got on her tippy-toes and felt the barrel skim the tip of her fingers. It tumbled out of the cupboard, landing in her other hand, heavy and hard.

She stared down at the gun and forced herself to keep breathing. If he was true to his word, her uncle Peter would have left the firearm unloaded but just in case, she examined it and aiming it away from her, she checked the safety, trying to remember how to make sure it was on.

A quick jump and she landed on the kitchen floor with a thump. She took one last look out the window seeing the two men still staring at each other.

She took a deep breath and headed for the door.

TBC


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

The group had been seated at a large round table in the middle of the main dining room although the term 'dining room' was a bit of a misnomer to describe the casual ambiance at Mel's Diner. The local eatery was the Caffrey family's regular haunt at all times of the day or night with breakfast being their favourite time of day to visit the family style restaurant. Mel and Sonia Ramirez had been running the place as long as the Caffrey family had been living in White Plains and by everyone's reckoning, they could serve you up a stack of blueberry buttermilk pancakes like nobody else.

Not surprisingly, Mozzie had appeared on the Caffreys' doorstep moments before the group had departed and he'd opted to join them to celebrate Neal and Sara's return. The two chairs reserved for Neal and Hope sat empty as the boisterous group consulted menus and chatted. Liam sat between his mom and his uncle Mozzie, smiling away as if he hadn't just lived through the most traumatic experience of his young life - the joys of having the attention span of a five-year-old. Sara kept one eye on him as she chatted; sadly, she knew there would be fallout in the days and weeks to come but apparently not in the here and now.

She wondered how Neal was doing back at the house with his little tête-à-tête with Hope. Despite her fearless exterior, their daughter remained an impressionable ten-year-old who loved her baby brother more than anything. Having been abducted herself at the tender age of six, she would no doubt be projecting all her fears and insecurities onto him. It was their job as parents to remind her that she wasn't responsible for Liam's wellbeing nor could she have kept things from happening as they had. It was uncanny really, how two children could be so different yet so close. They were five years apart with totally different tastes, interests and personality traits that couldn't be more dissimilar. Hope looked out for him and he, in turn, looked up to her, emulated her, wanted to 'grow up' to be just like her. His pure spirit and sweet disposition was in sharp contrast to her boldness and outlandish sense of humour. And yet they were the perfect pair.

Sara felt a tug on her sleeve and looked down at her wide-eyed son. 'Mommy, can I have pancakes _and_ chocolate milk?' he asked, pushing his luck.

'Of course you can' she said, her voice growing unsteady.

'But Daddy said white milk is more healthy.'

She brought her hand to rest on his head, caressing his hair. 'Don't worry about that. I'm sure Daddy won't mind just this once.'

He studied her, wide-eyed and innocent, sensing the worry radiating off her. 'Mommy don't be scared, the man didn't hurt me' he said with a maturity that belied his young age.

She looked away, covering the lump in her throat and exchanged a look with her best friend. Out of the mouths of babes.

On the other side of Elizabeth, Peter was studying the menu although he wasn't really paying much attention. His mind was on Cornyn who was, at last report, still roaming the streets. He'd been receiving regular updates from his team - although could it be called an update when there was nothing new to report?

He felt his phone vibrating in his shirt pocket and sprang to his feet, excusing himself to take the call. He was only mildly disappointed to see it wasn't the office calling; instead, a picture of the Caffrey family popped up on his screen. Neal was calling from their landline.

'What's taking you guys so long?' Peter said into the phone. 'We're starved!'

Instead of Neal, a quiet voice was heard on the other end, barely a whisper.

'Uncle Peter. He's here.'

There was the sound of breathing on the line, quick and halting. 'Hope? Is that you? What's wrong?'

He heard a gasp, a sharp intake of air. 'The man… the man who took Liam… he's in the backyard with my dad. And he has a gun.'

Peter glanced over at the table, everybody was laughing.

'Are you sure it's him?'

'Yes' came her strangled voice.

'Where are you?'

'I'm in my parents' bedroom.'

'Honey, listen to me. I want you to go hide in the closet and stay there. I'm calling the police and I'll be there as soon as I can. Do you hear me?'

She muttered something in response and he hung up, starting back towards the table where Mozzie was entertaining everyone with some crazy long winded tale. He lifted his phone and made a sad face.

'You're kidding!' Elizabeth said.

Sara's eyes grew wide. 'Is it Cornyn? Have they located him?'

He was taken by surprise by her question. He stuttered as he replied. 'We… we might have a lead.' (_He's in your backyard holding a gun to your husband's head but you go ahead and enjoy those scrambled eggs and bacon and don't worry your pretty little head about it.)_

Lying was not Peter's forte but over time he'd learned to deflect or mislead by omission and he'd learned from the very best. Sara checked her watch. He could tell she was about to ask him if he'd heard anything from Neal so he moved things along before she could pin him down. He leaned down and kissed Elizabeth's cheek.

'Sorry, gotta go hon' he said. 'I'll try to get back if I can.'

WCWCWC

Neal stood motionless on his backyard deck in a face-off with his latest nemesis. He could feel his phone vibrate in his pocket for the second time. No doubt Sara or Peter wondering what was taking them so long. He glanced nervously towards the patio door, his thoughts turning to Hope who was still inside the house. Any minute now, she was going to come looking for him and she would innocently walk right into this crazy shit show. He needed to keep her away from danger at all cost.

'What is it exactly you want from me Cornyn?' he asked, trying to keep his voice even.

The man shrugged. 'Just wanted to look you in the eye, watch you squirm at the thought that your wife and kids are still in my crosshairs.'

He let the gun fall by his side. Neal was no threat to him, standing there unarmed. Anyway, he wasn't planning on staying long - after all, he was a man on the run. 'I want you to pay for making my life hell Caffrey. I haven't been able to go home in days.'

'That's your fault, not mine.'

Cornyn looked around. 'Where's little Liam this morning?' he asked tauntingly.

Neal felt fists forming at his side. 'What kind of lowlife are you anyway, preying on a helpless little boy?' He exhaled, regaining his composure, 'What's the matter Cornyn, afraid to come after me directly? You have to pick on a five-year-old.'

He could tell he'd destabilized the other man with his snappy comeback but Cornyn put on a poker face and came back with a zinger of his own. 'Didn't your son tell you? We had a great time. Sweet kid… nervous stomach though.'

Neal forced himself to smile even though he was seething inside. 'I guess he recognizes scum when he sees it.'

Cornyn looked around nervously, he didn't want to overstay his welcome just in case the police was on his tail. He waved his pistol in the air and Neal cringed. 'Well, I did manage to cut your little vacation short. Bet you and the wife were sweating all the way back. I hear she's a pretty lady… maybe I should take _her _out for a little drive.'

Neal felt his blood boiling but managed to remain silent. He couldn't wait for this lowlife to be locked up for good. A sound came from the patio door and he glanced in that direction, picking up on a movement out of the corner of his eye. From his vantage point, he saw Satchmo get up and lazily make his way into the kitchen. He thought he saw something else but Cornyn spoke up, drawing his attention.

'You know Caffrey, you're wasting your time helping the FBI. With talent like yours, we could make a killing.'

Neal sneered at him. 'Get off my property Cornyn.'

WCWCWC

Inside the house, Hope felt her whole body shake as she drew closer to the door. The weight of the gun tugged at her shoulders as she awkwardly held it with both her hands glued to the grip. She slipped her finger on the trigger; if she was going to scare this guy, she had to look like she knew what she was doing.

She leaned over to get a better look at what was going on outside. Cornyn was still standing in the grass, at the edge of the deck, about twelve feet away from her dad. His gun was relaxed at his side as he continued to taunt him. But she knew it would take a mere second for him to lift his arm and point it directly at her beloved dad - or at her. She realized that the only thing she had going for her was the element of surprise. The man wouldn't be expecting a kid to burst on the scene carrying a handgun pointed right at him. She needed to make the best of the situation until her uncle Peter came to the rescue, riding on his white horse.

The patio door beckoned. The screen door was open a crack. She could hear her dad trying to reason with the man, speaking softly and standing very still. All she had to do was slip her foot between the open screen and the door frame, push the screen aside and step out with confidence, pointing the gun menacingly at the intruder. She closed her eyes tight, the scenario playing in her mind like a movie scene. She would step out holding the gun skillfully and the man would freak out and run away like a scared little girl. What words should she use to get the man's attention?

_'Put your hands up_' - she'd heard that on TV when cops stormed in during a bank robbery or a holdup.

Or what about '_I've got you covered'_? That sounded fearless but could she pull it off?

'_Drop the gun_' - another popular line from all those cop shows she'd watched over the years. Yeah, that sounded about right, direct and unwavering with just the right amount of confidence. He would be so taken aback, he'd have no choice but to obey. And then her dad would be safe.

She took one last deep breath, slipped her shoe between the screen and the door frame and prepared to make her dramatic entrance. To her dismay, the tip of her shoe caught in the door and she tripped, catching herself just in time as she stumbled out the door to the great surprise of both men.

'Gun the drop!' she shouted at the top of her lungs as she pointed the gun at Cornyn. The two men looked in her direction, Cornyn with a look of amusement and her dad totally bewildered by her sudden appearance. With a gun in her hands no less.

Her hands shook violently as did the gun. 'I mean… d-d-drop the gun!' she stuttered.

Dwight Cornyn's initial reaction was to chuckle but a gun was a gun no matter who was pointing it at you. It was especially alarming if it was in the hands of a jittery ten-year-old girl. Almost immediately, he lifted his firearm and took a defensive stance, gun pointed at Hope.

'You've got that backwards little girl' the man said.

'Hope!' Neal called out simultaneously, a look of terror on his face. He made a move towards her.

'Don't!' Cornyn shouted as he shifted his aim towards Neal. 'Don't move!'

Hope kept her gun trained on Cornyn who now had her dad in his sights, ready to shoot at a moment's notice. Her hands shook so hard, Neal could see the gun swaying from side to side. Chances are she couldn't hit the side of an eighty foot barn even if her life depended on it. Adding insult to injury, Raffie appeared and began sniffing playfully at Hope legs, tail wagging, ready to play. If the situation hadn't been so damned dangerous, it would have been downright comical.

'Honey what are you doing?' came Neal's voice over the sound of her erratic breathing. He raised his hand and reached out to her. 'Put it down on the deck, just put it down.'

'Shut up Caffrey. You stay right there' Cornyn warned.

Neal stared at his little girl, wondering what kind of alternate universe he'd just walked into. Where the hell had she gotten a gun? Nerves getting the better of her, Hope's eyes began to fill with tears but she managed to keep the gun trained on the man, not that she could see much through the avalanche of tears.

'Get away from my dad!' she shouted, her voice shaky.

Neal managed to take a couple of steps towards her before Cornyn reacted. 'I said don't move Caffrey' he shouted, beginning to lose his composure.

His eyes began to roam the yard, searching for the best escape route. His plan had been to taunt Neal, shake him up a little but a gunfight at the OK Corral was more than he'd bargained for. With his eyes still trained on Hope, he took a few steps back towards the side of the house from where he'd come. Suddenly, his arm dropped to his side and he took off running alongside the house towards the street, making his getaway before someone got hurt, namely himself.

'Put it down Hope, put it down!' Neal urged as he bridged the short distance between himself and his daughter. Hope's hands shook violently, gun still pointing towards the spot where Cornyn had been standing a moment earlier. Her eyes were glassy as if she were in a trance, gaze fixed straight ahead, arms straight out, gun shaking.

'Hope! Hope!' Neal said in desperation as he drew closer.

He came at her from behind, for fear the gun might go off by accident if he walked towards it. He wrapped his arms around Hope's body from the back, letting his hands rest on hers. They shook so hard he couldn't get a firm grasp and her fingers were wound so tight around the gun's grip that at first he couldn't get her to let go.

He spoke softly in her ear as he attempted to pry her hands loose. 'Honey it's okay, let it go. Let it go.'

The sound of voices was heard coming from the side of the house and he looked up to find Peter, arriving with two of his agents.

'You all right?' he called out at the sight of Neal and Hope both standing there, transfixed.

There was a loud thud as the gun hit the deck and Hope's legs gave out following in its trajectory as she momentarily lost consciousness. Neal broke her fall, catching her in his arms and collapsing onto the deck as her eyes fluttered.

'Daddy…' she murmured.

He pulled her into his chest, his breathing loud and irregular. Her body was shaking so violently he thought at first she might be having a convulsion. He held her tight, feeling the trembling slowly begin to subside. His gaze met Peter's who was watching the scene unfold in total disbelief.

'Did you get him?' Neal asked breathlessly.

Peter nodded. 'Yeah, we got him.'

The two men stepped into the house, Neal carrying Hope as they settled on the couch in the family room. Colour was slowly returning to her cheeks. Peter held his service revolver in his hands, checking it over. Hope had set the safety even though it wasn't loaded. Smart kid.

Neal glanced at Peter's hands, recognizing the firearm. 'What the hell was she doing with that?' he asked.

Peter blubbered something in response and Hope looked from one man to the other, getting her bearings.

'How did you know he was here?' Neal asked his best friend.

Peter looked at his goddaughter and smiled. 'I told her to hide in the closet and wait for me to get here.'

Neal exhaled loudly. 'Yeah… I should have mentioned she doesn't always listen very well.'

Hope gave a shoulder shrug. 'I was afraid you were going to take too long' she admitted, eyes on her godfather.

'Honey, I warned you to never touch my gun unless I was sitting right next to you.'

Neal looked puzzled.

'I've been keeping my empty gun up on the top shelf in the cupboard' Peter explained pointing towards the kitchen. 'Hope was curious the other day… I let her handle it and I gave her a crash course.'

'You what?' Neal looked both upset and disappointed. Peter, of all people, knew how he felt about having a gun in the house.

'It's my fault Dad. I asked him to. And it's true, I promised never ever to touch a gun without a grownup next to me. I'm sorry Uncle Peter.'

Her voice had grown shaky again and Peter rose to get her some juice while Neal stared at her, still reeling from the events of the last few minutes.

'Honey… maybe Uncle Peter's gun wasn't loaded but Cornyn's was. He could have shot you - or me.'

Tears ran down her face as the adrenaline finally started to drain from her system. She couldn't believe what she'd actually done. She'd unknowingly put her dad's life in danger as well as her own.

'I didn't know what else to do' she blubbered. 'I was afraid he was going to hurt you… and I didn't know how long it would take Uncle Peter to get here… and then I remembered he kept his gun in the cupboard… and I thought maybe I could…'

'Hey, hey, hey, hey' Neal said soothingly, cutting her off. She was sobbing loudly as she spoke. If she kept this up she'd start hyperventilating any second now.

He pulled her in to him and she melted in a puddle of tears, arms around his neck so tight he winced. 'It's okay baby. It's okay. You're okay, I'm okay.'

'I'm sorry Daddy, I'm really sorry.'

He cradled her against his chest, rocking her back and forth as his breathing finally slowed. He glanced up at Peter who was looking just as terrified as he felt.

'It's okay' he repeated. 'It's okay.'

TBC


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

As much as she'd enjoyed leaving domestic chores behind for a few days, Sara had to admit there was a certain calmness associated with returning to the old routine. Especially now, as she waited for Neal and Hope to return from the Bureau where they were both giving their statements. When she and Liam had arrived home, the house had been crawling with members of Peter's team dealing with the fallout from the capture of Dwight Cornyn. All she knew was that the man had resurfaced and that both Neal and Hope had somehow been involved in his arrest. There was still plenty Neal was keeping from her at the moment but she'd agreed to cut him some slack after he'd promised a full recounting as soon as he and Hope returned.

In the meantime, she busied herself with mundane tasks, putting on some laundry, tidying up, anything to keep her mind busy. She hummed softly as she spread out the mattress pad on their queen size bed and began to remake the bed. Past experience told her that she and Neal might be having at least one visitor overnight - perhaps even two. Better to be ready just in case.

'Mommy?' came Liam's voice from across the hall.

'I'm in here sweetie' she called out.

He sauntered in and stopped right in front of her, craning his neck to meet her eyes. 'Remember when I was little?'

She nodded, stifling a chuckle. 'Sure I do.'

'You used to rock me to sleep in that big wooden rocking chair.'

Sara sat on the edge of the bed, inviting Liam to take the spot next to her. Obviously, something was on his mind.

'Yeah… I used to read you a story and sing to you until you fell asleep' Sara said wistfully, recalling those early years.

'Why did you have to stop?'

'I didn't _have_ to stop. You just started climbing into bed and asking us to read you a story so after a while, Daddy brought the rocking chair down to the basement to make room for your Lego collection.'

He nodded thoughtfully. 'Is it still down there? In the basement?'

'Yeah, of course it is.'

He was beating around the bush, saying everything but what was really on his mind. It was time to put him out of his misery.

'Do you miss having it in your room?'

'Maybe…'

Apparently, she needed to ask a more direct question. 'Would you like it if we sat in it while I read you a story?'

'Moooooom, I'm five' he declared, the fingers of his right hand spread out for full effect.

'So?'

'That's too big to sit in a rocking chair and read a book.'

'Says who?'

He shrugged. 'Everybody. I mean my friends would laugh at me if my mom still rocked me to sleep.'

Sara ran her hand through his hair then tapped the tip of his nose playfully. 'Well, nobody would have to know. And besides, that chair is big enough for you to sit next to me if you don't want to sit on my lap like when you were little.'

He looked up with a smile but said nothing.

'Would you like it if I asked Daddy to bring it up and we could read a book together before you go to sleep tonight?'

His smile brightened even more as he nodded enthusiastically. Sara felt her heart swell at the memory of all those nights rocking her baby boy to sleep. Apparently, those days were making an unexpected comeback.

She was suddenly overcome with love for the little guy. 'Would it be okay if I gave you a hug?' she asked.

He climbed onto her lap and threw his arms around her neck, squeezing with all his might. 'Mommy, when will I be too big for hugs?'

'You'll _never_ be too big for hugs sweetie. Look at Daddy, he's a grown man and he loves hugs.'

'You mean like sex hugs?' he asked, looking straight into her eyes.

Shit! It appeared the game of hot potato was on again and the spud had landed right in her lap. She remembered the advice they'd read when Hope had first asked about the origin of babies: don't try to give more information than what your child is asking for. The first step was to find out what he already knew - or didn't know - before going off half-cocked with long winded explanations.

'Honey, what do _you_ think sex is?' she asked, buying some time.

'Kissing?' he asked, his face all scrunched up.

Sara nodded. 'That's part of it. But not the kind of kisses Daddy and I give you and Hope. Special kisses that you only share with one person that you love very very much.'

He made an awkward attempt at rolling his eyes. 'You mean like when Daddy thinks we're not looking and he does this?' He placed the back of his hand against his mouth and began kissing it, open mouthed, his face contorted as he moved his head dramatically from side to side.

Sara chuckled. 'Kind of. But sex is more than just kissing. It's hugging and touching and making the other person feel nice all over.'

'Like when you tickle me?'

She sighed, not wanting to lead him down the wrong path. 'Sort of… but different.'

She felt her cheeks redden. Where was Neal when you needed him?

'Can two boys kiss like that? Or two girls?'

'Sure they can, if they're each other's special friend. But sex is something you save for just one person and it isn't for little kids, it's for grown-ups.'

'Like drinking wine?'

She smiled. 'Sort of. When Daddy kisses me and hugs me, it makes me feel good inside so I kiss him back and I hold him tight. It feels nice.'

'And he makes noises' Liam declared with a grimace.

Jeez Louise, this was getting a little too personal. Time to get Neal to tone things down a little.

'That's true, sometimes if something feels really, really good, it makes you moan. Like if you're eating something you love to eat.'

Liam looked at her and sighed. 'It sounds complicated.'

'Not really but you don't have to understand everything about sex right now. Later, if you have more questions, you can ask me or Daddy and we'll explain it to you. But you really don't have to worry about it for a while yet.'

'Phew!' he said, wiping his forehead. 'Because Miss Pearson said we're going to start learning to read in grade one and I think that's enough to learn for now.'

'I agree' Sara said with a nod. 'So, what do you say? You want to help me finish making the bed?'

He jumped off her lap and ran over to the other side of the bed, tugging at the bedsheets as his mom sighed in relief. In one short conversation, he'd run the gamut - from expressing his need to return to the comfort of his mother's arms to asking some very grownup questions - the ever evolving mind of a five-year-old.

WCWCWC

The NYPD had been called to the scene at the Caffrey house and therefore, sat in on the interviews given by Neal Caffrey and his daughter Hope. The events were recounted in detail with Hope getting a stern warning about the danger of handling firearms. Neal sat next to her, noticing how her chair inched closer and closer to his as the interview progressed. She was still upset but calm enough to explain what she'd done and why. Peter sat by watching his goddaughter lay herself bare, his heart breaking at the further loss of innocence he was witnessing.

When it ended, Diana offered to take Hope to the building's coffee shop for ice cream. Hope wavered, looking at her dad for encouragement. He was only too happy to send her off; he had things to discuss with Peter and there was no time like the present.

After everybody had dispersed, the two men moved over to Peter's office, closing the door behind them.

'You're upset about the gun thing' Peter said rather than asked as he took a seat behind his desk opposite Neal.

The younger man flashed back to all the conversations they'd had over the years in this very office, brainstorming on cases, sharing a laugh, confiding about their personal lives. On so many occasions, Peter had grilled him, suspicious that Neal was feeding him some bullshit line, covering something up, scamming him. And most times, he'd been right.

But that wasn't who they were anymore… well, not as much anyway.

Neal shrugged. 'I know how Hope can be when she wants to know about something.'

'I was putting it away and she wanted to look at it. I thought it was safer than having her sneak around behind my back trying to get a better look. Plus, I thought it was a good opportunity to talk about gun safety. I had no idea she would ever —'

Neal nodded. 'It's okay. It was a good call' he admitted.

'Look, Neal… about this morning. I've been doing a lot of thinking and I realize you might have a point.'

Neal's ears perked up and he looked across at his best friend, surprised by his admission. 'Might?'

Peter shook his head. 'All right, all right, you _do_ have a point. Maybe I do tend to worry about you too much.'

'You think?' Neal said dryly.

'You know when you first came to work here' Peter explained, 'you were my responsibility. I needed to keep an eye on you, make sure you weren't getting into any trouble. Back then, you lied to me more often than you told the truth.'

Neal gave him a look of incredulity. 'Seriously?' he said, deadpan. 'Peter, how many times have I told you I never lied to you.'

'Technically' Peter said.

'Technically' Neal conceded with a mischievous smile and a shrug.

'I get it' Peter said, continuing with his thought. 'Up until that point, you'd spent your life going from one con to the next, doing whatever you needed to do for self-preservation.'

Neal seemed to grow uncomfortable. He shifted in his chair.

'I used to wonder if I was doing the right thing - letting you get away with things. In the beginning, it bothered me but then we kept cracking cases and putting away bad guys and I started to look the other way - even when your methods were… unorthodox.'

The room grew quiet. Neal stared down at his hands, mindlessly fiddling with his wedding band.

'And then… well, I realized I liked you and I cared about what happened to you. You were fun to work with, you were creative and smart and… well, you know how much I like smart. After a while, it became all about making sure you didn't go back to prison… no matter what you did. And then, Kramer came along and started to make me doubt my methods. And for a while there, I believed him. But Kramer was wrong. Deep down my instincts were right on the money - you were a good man with a good heart who needed help to keep his impulses in check and I guess I… I decided I was the person who could keep you in line. Whether you wanted me to or not.'

Neal's face grew serious. 'And I appreciate everything you did for me Peter, really I do. It's not lost on me how many times I would have landed back behind bars if you hadn't covered for me. But after a while it started to bother me - that you were putting your career on the line. I… I didn't want you to be disappointed in me so I… I tried to do the right thing. I really did.'

'I know you did buddy' Peter replied soberly. 'But things are different now. You don't need me that way any more. You're a grown man and you've long since earned the right to make your own decisions… I have no right to be weighing in on what's best for you. Not anymore.'

Neal felt his heart thumping in his chest and he swallowed the lump in his throat.

'When I realized Liam was missing, I panicked. Besides worrying about him being safe, I started to worry about you. You and Sara… you work hard - believe me after this week, I know that better than ever. You were having your little holiday and I though maybe if I could just fix this… this mess I'd made —'

'Peter!' Neal interrupted. 'Cornyn took Liam. You didn't. I don't blame you for what happened.'

'I should have…'

'What? What could you have done? You acted as soon as you realized Cornyn was hanging around the kids.'

Peter listened, eyes squarely on Neal.

'The kind of work we do…' Neal continued. 'It's… I don't know. I love working with you to catch the bad guys but now I've got to think about Sara. And the kids.'

'To be honest, I didn't see this one coming' Peter admitted. 'I didn't see just how angry Cornyn was at you.' He smiled at Neal. 'I guess that's a testament to how good a job you did while you were undercover. He really hadn't suspected you were a plant.'

'Peter…' Neal began, his voice quiet. 'What I said this morning… about you not doing a very good job watching over the kids…'

Peter raised his hand to stop him but Neal continued nevertheless. 'No, listen. I really need to say this. I'm sorry, I'm really sorry I said that. The truth is I trust you with my life, with Sara's life, the kids' lives. I know you'd take a bullet for any one of us and… believe me it means everything to me that you're there for us. You… you're the best friend I've ever had and you didn't deserve me saying those awful things to you.'

'You were upset' Peter said. 'El told me what happened with Sara. You must have been so angry and scared.'

'Still…' Neal murmured.

Peter stood abruptly and perched himself on the edge of the desk, directly in front of Neal.

'Why don't we agree to cut each other some slack. I'll let you decide when you need my help and you'll promise to speak up when you do.'

Neal stood, extending his hand. 'Sounds good to me.'

They locked eyes as they shook hands. But a handshake wouldn't cut it. It immediately morphed into a hug, the two men embracing tightly. As with all things, their friendship was a work in progress and as long as they kept talking… well, there was always hope for Burke and Caffrey.

WCWCWC

Peter was surprised to find El all dolled up when he came back from taking a shower. Gone was her sensible two piece pyjama and her warm comfy slippers. Instead, she'd slipped into a sheer negligée with boa feathers around the edges and fancy high heeled slippers the likes of which Sophia Loren might have worn as she greeted Cary Grant at the door of her boudoir.

'Helloooo Mrs. Burke' he chanted as he stepped into the bedroom with nothing but a towel around his waist.

She fluttered her eyelids at him and he chuckled. 'What do I owe this to?' he asked.

She stepped in closer and took the edge of the feathery garment, running it across his cheek and causing him to shiver.

'You have been such a good sport all week, letting Liam share our bed. I thought you deserved a treat.'

'A treat' Peter repeated, eyes alight. 'I like treats.'

'Oh you'll really like this one' she cooed. 'I promise.'

She began to walk backwards towards the bed, pulling him along. It had indeed been a long week in so many regards not the least of which was the fact they'd repeatedly forgone their usual playtime in favour of family time.

She flopped down on the bed and he let himself be pulled along, landing on her with a thud.

'Why Agent Burke' she murmured. 'The truth is I've been a very naughty girl and I think you should frisk me.'

She reached over, picking up a pair of handcuffs from the bedside table and dangling them provocatively in front of his eyes.

'Mrs. Burke' he replied as he kissed her exposed neck. 'Spread 'em! You're under arrest.'

WCWCWC

'You'll never believe what I found under Liam's bed' Neal said as he stepped into the bedroom.

Sara looked up from what she'd been reading to find him standing there with what looked like a miniature monitoring anklet.

'What is that?' she asked.

He walked over to his side of the bed and climbed in next to her, handing her the familiar object.

'No! You're kidding!'

'Moz took Liam to the park and made him wear it. Apparently he was worried Cornyn might be watching and he didn't want to lose sight of him.'

'Like father, like son' Sara said with a chuckle. 'So how was he?'

'The rocking chair seemed to do the trick. After you finished reading to him, I rubbed his back for about five minutes and he was out like a light… which doesn't mean he'll sleep through the night' Neal added.

Sara's face grew worried. 'I mean I'm all for it if the rocking chair makes him feel more secure but… do you think it was a mistake bringing it back upstairs? What if he regresses?'

Neal gave her a reassuring pat on the thigh. 'Babe, it only happened yesterday. If the rocking chair gives him comfort, I say roll with it. Or in this case, rock with it' he added with an amused smile, pleased with his play on words.

'The real test will be if he wets the bed' she reminded him with a frown.

'Did you remember to…' he began, pointing to the mattress.

'Yeah we're covered. I'd be surprised if at least one of them doesn't end up here in bed with us.'

Neal leaned over, propping his head up against his wife's shoulder and mewling. 'I guess this means the honeymoon's over, huh babe?'

Sara ignored him, her mind still on the kids. She'd been the one to do the last check of their daughter.

'Hope seems to be keeping everything bottled up inside for now. It's like this morning never happened. I tried to ask her about it but she wasn't in a chatty mood. I didn't want to push it… I told her to come and get us if she needed anything.'

'She's exhausted, poor kid. And then the interrogation at the Bureau. It was a lot for her to take in.'

Sara seemed to hesitate before she spoke. 'Honey, do you think maybe the time has come for you to stop working cases with Peter.'

Neal settled in under the blankets and slipped his arm under hers, squeezing it lovingly. 'Maybe… is that what you want me to do?'

She sighed loudly. 'I don't know… we could talk about it I suppose.'

Neal glanced down at what was in her hands - the note Beth had left for her.

'So? Did you find out where Beth was headed late last night?'

She nodded. 'Listen to this' she said as she sat up and began to read.

_Dear Sara, I didn't want to disappear without saying goodbye. I want you to know I truly appreciate everything you've done to try to help me. I know you find it hard to understand why I couldn't walk away from my marriage. The truth is I've been keeping a secret from Brett for almost three months. I'm pregnant and that's one of the reasons I've stuck around this long. But after today, I'm no longer willing to put my baby's life in danger. In the past, I've had trouble standing up for myself but for some reason, today I was able to do it when it came to you. Now I need to be strong for my baby. For now, I'm going to stay with my sister in Philadelphia. Brett has agreed to give me some space and to get help in the meantime. We still have difficult times ahead but for the first time I have hope we can overcome our problems. Thank you Sara._

'Signed Beth Marconi. She even left an email address which tells me she's open to me getting in touch with her.'

It was hard to believe all that had taken place in the past twenty-four hours. Neal let his finger linger on his wife's cheek. 'Does it still hurt?'

'Some… oh, and guess what. Liam hit me with the sex question this afternoon while you were out.'

Neal chuckled. 'And?'

'I think I did okay… for now. He did a pretty decent imitation of you kissing me when you think the kids aren't looking.'

She brought her hand up to her mouth and just as Liam had done, began hamming it up.

'Oops!' Neal said with a chuckle.

'Oh and you know when you're trying really hard to keep the noise down… when I do that thing with my leg?'

'Yeah' he replied with a frown.

'Well try harder' she said with a giggle.

As expected, first Liam then Hope joined them in bed, searching for comfort in their parents' loving arms. The couple stared at each other in the darkened room, unable to sleep and silently sharing their concern for what lay ahead. Both their children had lived through some traumatic experiences over the past few days and there would be repercussions in the days and weeks to come. It would take time, patience and plenty of love and support before both Liam and Hope were finally able to let go and put it all behind them.

But Neal and Sara resolved to be there, eyes wide open, picking up on cues and stepping in as needed. Isn't that what parents did?

La fin


End file.
